The given chart illustrates the unemployment rates among male and female graduates aged 20-24 in a European nation over the period from 2008 to 2009.
In general, the rate of joblessness fluctuated throughout the two-year period, with noticeable peaks in October of both years. Men consistently witnessed higher unemployment rates than women, and the gap between the two genders was particularly pronounced in October 2009.
As can be seen clearly from the chart, male graduates recorded higher unemployment rates than female graduates throughout the period. In 2008, the unemployment rates among male graduates began at 10% before rising considerably to 16% in October. Females had a lower jobless rate than males at the beginning of 2008, and the gap between the two figures widened significantly in October 2008. There was little change in the disparity between their unemployment rates in both April and July 2008.
In 2009, the proportion of graduates who were out of work fluctuated more markedly. The figure for men started at approximately 12% and remained stable until April, before decreasing slightly in July. Then, it saw a sharp increase in October and reached the peak of 22%. In contrast to the trend among men, the proportion of unemployed women graduates declined further in April (6%) after beginning the year at a lower level. However, it subsequently climbed to 10% in July, narrowing the gap between the two groups. Following that, the rate went up dramatically in October (14%).