ABSTRACT
This chapter presents labour force characteristics on women in Spain, followed by the progress of Spanish women pursuing education. It addresses the presence of women in decision-making roles in politics and corporate management, with data on female entrepreneurs and women's involvement in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Spain. The chapter analyzes existing challenges for professional women in Spain and describe some recent legislative improvements as well as listing the organizations in Spain that facilitate and encourage entrepreneurship for women. It proposes a few recommendations on how companies and the Spanish Government can become more accommodating to employees to create a harmonized work life balance. The university degree structure in Spain is significantly different from the Anglo-Saxon model and is currently in the process of changing. Barriers are defined as events or conditions, either within the person or within his or her environment, that make career progress difficult. Women are most present in the management of small and medium-sized companies.
