Important issue on Spanish EU Presidency Agenda

Gender equality as one of priorities

Pay gap facts, parental leave discussion, decision - making balance, gender based violence, prejudices and stereotypes. There are 30 years passed since the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, but facts and figures often show that theory is still far away from real life


By MILENA STOŠIĆ (milena.stosic@wavemagazine.net)
from Niš, SERBIA


Since January 1, 2010, Spain assumed, for the fourth time, the Presidency of the European Union, underlining gender equality as one of priorities. Gender equality includes pay gap facts, parental leave discussion, decision - making balance, gender based violence, prejudices and stereotypes, and when we say gender in everyday life we actually mean women. And women and women organizations are those who mostly are dealing with it. There are 30 years passed since the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, but facts and figures often show that theory is still far away from real life.

- People do not have a developed awareness of the existence of inequality between the sexes while all claim to be all equal - explains Anita Frank Goth, editor of KVINFO - The Danish Center for Information on Women and Gender, for WAVE magazine. As Spanish minister for equality Bibiana Aído Almagro stated - in most countries there has been virtually no change in professional and sectorial segregation between the sexes.

Pay gap

Currently, gender pay gap in European Union is approximately 17%. Amélie Leclercq, regional coordinator of BPW - Business and Professional Women Europe, confirms this:

- Regarding equality of salaries, national governmental figures show that the gender pay gap still exist in all member states - adding that this pay gap has no changed much in last 10 years. According to Eurostat, highest rate is recorded in Estonia (30%) and lowest in Italy (4%).

- In addition to the gender pay gap, which is a widespread problem touching all professions and all level of responsibilities, other issues are blocking gender equality in the workplace: limited participations of women in decision making positions, a vocational guidance system showing gender biases, a high number of women having to accept "non-chosen" part-time positions - stresses Amélie Leclercq. Anita Frank Goth shares opinion that women's participation and representation at the highest levels of responsibility and decision-making is at very low level.

- There are less women in important positions and they are paid less although they have adequate or more education. We are in favor for 50-50 participation - she says.

European Commission data shows that current state is far from balanced gender participation. In business, women account for an average of just 3% of the presidents of the largest quoted companies in each of the EU Member States in 2009 and less than 11% of board members. The central bank of each country across Europe is led by a male governor and more than four out of every five members of key decision-making bodies are men. Interesting example of good practice where women account for at least one in three members, besides Hungary (33%) and Sweden (41%) is - Serbia (38%), which is not EU Member State. BPW Europe considers that lobbying actions, awareness campaigns, and of such "soft" tools are necessary to support proper implementation of legislation on gender equality in the workplace, as Amélie Leclercq said. Spain opened this important issue, but gender pay gap will be one of the key goals of the Belgium Presidency, too. That promises long term devotion to this area.

Gender based violence

- Financial independence of women and equal sharing of responsibilities are prerequisites for many aspects of gender equality, for instance, in the fight against domestic violence - points Amélie Leclercq. Although perpetrators of gender-based violence are not only men, some recent studies suggest that one-quarter to one-third of the 170 million women and girls currently living in the European Union are subjected to male violence. Also, it is estimated that 45% to 81% of working women experience sexual harassment in the workplace.

- We strive to raise awareness that abuse and discrimination can really terminate and that together we can put an end to gender violence. This slogan is the thread and the image of the awareness actions that we develop and intend to extend to other areas in the EU, as a common symbol of social rejection of gender violence - says Angélica Such Ronda for WAVE magazine. She is a Councillor for Social Welfare of the Generalitat Valenciana and Vicepresident of The Foundation Against Discrimination and Ill-Treatment, Tolerance Zero". She also pointed that Spain is in a position to lead a social consensus policy to be developed among member countries in order to make the adoption of appropriate victim-support measures easier to prevent and eradicate abuse. According to Spanish minister for equality Spain will use it's position to make this problem a political priority in Europe.

Maternity leave

Among all these gender equality topics, maybe the most discussed recently is maternity leave. At the European level, as Anita Frank Goth explains, maternity leave is at the top of the agenda. At the moment there are no European standards for paternity leave, but it is widespread opinion that it should be combined with maternity leave reform in order to avoid a new discriminatory effect against women and also for protection of the child who needs inclusion of both parents.

Anyway, maternity leave reform should come to the European Parliament in March, when EP is going to vote extension of current 14 weeks minimum, set 18 years ago. What extension can be expected is probably somewhere close to recommendations of European Commission (18 weeks), World Health Organization (24 weeks) and International Labor Organizations (20 weeks). It seems that everyone agree that families shouldn't be disadvantaged financially because of their choice to have a child, but 100% of salary for all the leave is still opened question, although it is paid by social security in most countries. Other side of the medal is that extended maternity leave can have influence on women's position in labor market. Showing concerns on this Bibiana Aido Almagro stated that there should be balance between the length and remuneration of the leave: "It should favor the health of mothers but it shouldn't be a burden when returning to the labor market".

Other mentioned specific measures that Spanish Presidency plans to initiate in order to improve the situation of women could be creating a European Observatory on Gender Equality and a European Protection Order. Spanish Presidency will also support the United Nations in producing an action plan on gender equality. "Positive change is expected from Spanish government, but world can not be changed over the night", concludes Anita Frank Goth.

More info on:

www.bpw-europe.org
www.forum.kvinfo.dk, www.kvinfo.dk
www.toleranciacero.gva.es


(Published: 09.02.2010.)