Category Archives: Equality between Men and Women

Equality between women and men is one of the fundamental principles of Community law. The European Union�s (EU) objectives on gender equality are to ensure equal opportunities and equal treatment for men and women and to combat any form of discrimination on the grounds of gender. The EU has adopted a two-pronged approach to this issue, combining specific measures with gender mainstreaming. The issue also has a strong international dimension with regard to the fight against poverty, access to education and health services, taking part in the economy and in the decision-making process, women’s rights and human rights.

Strategy for gender equality in development policy

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Strategy for gender equality in development policy

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Strategy for gender equality in development policy

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Strategy for gender equality in development policy

Document or Iniciative

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council of 8 March 2007 – Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Development Cooperation [COM(2007) 100 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

Summary

Equal opportunities are a key factor for sustainable development, especially in areas where this inequality is more pronounced in developing countries, i.e.:

  • employment and economic activities, because most women work in the informal sectors, with low productivity and incomes, poor working conditions and little or no social protection;
  • governance, as in many countries women are marginalised as decision-makers. In order to protect the fundamental human rights of women, legislation ensuring equal rights for men and women must also be accompanied by implementation;
  • access to education, where gender equality is related in particular to the responsibility of women for everyday tasks in the household;
  • health, as women have limited access to basic health services, especially in the sphere of sexual and reproductive health;
  • gender-based violence.

The Commission recognises that there has been considerable progress towards gender equality in development cooperation. This is increasingly becoming part of the dialogue with partner countries and the EU’s consultations with civil society. In addition, there has been progress in gender equality projects and programmes and in capacity-building in Member States and the Commission.

Nevertheless, the Commission emphasises that certain challenges remain regarding:

  • the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education. Moreover, the MDGs adopt an approach confined to the health and education aspects of gender equality and neglect other dimensions of equality;
  • the presence of social and cultural obstacles associated with traditional social structures which are not conducive to changes in the traditional division of power between men and women;
  • gender mainstreaming, which has not been fully integrated into the country strategies and the implementation of EU development cooperation.

Objectives of the strategy

The first objective of the EU strategy is to increase the efficiency of gender mainstreaming. This implies actions in three areas:

  • at political level, the Commission stresses the importance of discussing gender equality with the partner countries at the highest level;
  • in development cooperation, the Commission proposes:

    1. establishing effective dialogue with relevant stakeholders in the preparation of country strategies and aid programmes;
    2. putting in place mutual accountability mechanisms;
    3. using performance indicators;
    4. linking the disbursement of incentive tranches to gender-sensitive indicators;
  • in institutional capacity-building, the Commission recommends using practical tools in the assessment and implementation phases. It also stresses the need to provide improved access to information and best practices and gender training for partner countries and staff.

The second objective is to refocus specific actions for women’s empowerment in partner countries. The Commission has notably identified the following fields of action:

  • governance, especially women’s political empowerment, promotion of human rights, development of gender-sensitive indicators, development of the role of women in conflict and post conflict situations;
  • employment and economic activities, especially promotion of the economic and social empowerment of women, equal treatment of men and women at work, analysis of the gender equality budget and public finance management based on a gender equality perspective;
  • education, especially abolishing school fees, adopting incentives to send girls to school, improving the school environment, enhancing gender equality awareness among adolescents and adult literacy;
  • health, especially promotion of social protection schemes for impoverished women and protection of sexual and reproductive health (for example, through HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns and training of traditional midwives to reduce the mortality of mothers and children in rural areas);
  • gender-based violence, especially reform of the legislation on the subject, victim protection, awareness-raising through media, education and training of military and judicial personnel.

Implementation

The Commission underlines the importance of the ownership of development cooperation initiatives by the women beneficiaries themselves, through participation in civil society organisations (CSOs) and Community-based organisations. The EU needs in particular to promote the emergence of CSOs supporting gender equality where they do not exist and ensure capacity-building of the existing CSOs.

The financing of the aid is to be paid on the basis of the improvements in gender equality indicators. In addition, gender responsiveness is to be integrated into the preparation of the budgets of the partner countries at national and local levels. This requires re-prioritisation of expenditure, re-orientation of programmes within sectors to achieve gender equality and monitoring of government revenue and expenditure.

The national poverty reduction strategies must analyse the gender equality situation of a country to understand all its implications for growth and poverty. The Commission emphasises that these national strategies should encompass a wider definition of poverty extending beyond a lack of financial resources. They should also accept the contribution of civil society to the formulation and monitoring of the strategies.

Finally, the Commission stresses the importance of coordination and harmonisation with Member States through regular meetings and exchange of best practices. In addition, the EU will continue to foster debate on gender equality at international and regional levels, in particular by stressing the importance of extending the scope beyond the areas of health and education.

Specific actions by the Commission

To implement this strategy, the Commission proposes actions in three areas, i.e.:

  • country programming (national and regional strategies), especially:

    1. the further development of programming guidelines;
    2. the systematic gender assessment of country strategies;
    3. the adjustment of strategies according to the results of these assessments;
    4. the building of partnerships with relevant international organisations (such as the United Nations Development Fund for Women – UNIFEM – and the International Labour Organisation – ILO) which have significant experience in mainstreaming gender equality into programmes;
  • multi-annual thematic programmes under the financial perspectives 2007-2013, which can support gender equality in the fields of human resources, the environment and food security;
  • other financial instruments to support gender equality, notably the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights and the Instrument for Stability.

Background

In 2001 the “Programme of Action for the mainstreaming of gender equality in Community Development Cooperation 2001-2006” provided the basis for capacity building within the European Commission in this field.

Subsequently Regulation (EC) No 1567/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which expired on 31 December 2006, established a financial framework for the implementation of actions on reproductive and sexual health and rights.

In addition, Regulation (EC) No 806/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which expired on 31 December 2006, provided for a budget of EUR 9 million to finance specific actions in this field. Finally, the European Consensus of 2005 identified gender equality as one of the fundamental objectives to reduce poverty.

Related Acts

Commission working document of 8 March 2010 – EU Plan of Action on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Development [SEC(2010) 265 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
The Commission has presented a Plan of Action 2010-2015 in order to implement the strategy in the above-mentioned Communication and thereby reinforce the promotion of gender equality in developing countries. This Plan of Action contributes towards the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and the objectives of the United Nations Convention against all forms of discrimination against women.
In this perspective, the Commission shall in particular:

  • develop the EU’s capacity for action and its lead role in defending gender equality at global level;
  • discuss gender equality in the context of the political dialogue between the EU and developing countries;
  • integrate the promotion of gender equality into the projects financed by the EU and develop reliable indicators in order to assess the progress achieved;
  • encourage the participation of civil society in developing countries;
  • improve the management and transparency of European financing;
  • support UN action for the protection of women in conflicts, through the implementation of the United Nations Resolution on Women, Peace and Security (Resolutions 1325 of 2000 and 1889 of 2009).

Gender balance within the committees and expert groups set up by the Commission

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Gender balance within the committees and expert groups set up by the Commission

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Gender balance within the committees and expert groups set up by the Commission

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Gender balance within the committees and expert groups set up by the Commission

To achieve equal representation of women and men in the expert groups and committees set up by the Commission.

2) Document or Iniciative

Commission Decision 2000/407/EC of 19 June 2000 relating to gender balance within the committees and expert groups established by it [Official Journal L 154 of 27.06.2000].

3) Summary

Equality between women and men is essential to human dignity and democracy. It constitutes a fundamental principle of Community law, of the constitutions and laws of the Members States, and of international and European conventions. The European Union (EU) has committed itself to an active policy of gender mainstreaming for women and men in all Community activities and policies. The Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005), adopted in June 2000, reaffirms this commitment and the EU’s intention to reduce and ultimately eliminate inequalities between the sexes.

At the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995), the European Community committed itself to promoting women in decision-making. However, despite the Council Recommendation of 2 December 1996 on the balanced participation of women and men in the decision-making process, women are still under-represented in decision-making bodies, including those established by the Commission.

For this reason, the Commission commits itself in this Decision to creating a gender balance in expert groups and committees established by it. The aim in the medium term is to ensure that there are at least 40% of members of each sex in every expert group and committee.

For expert groups and committees already in existence, the Commission will aim to redress the gender balance upon each replacement of a member and when the term of a member of an expert group or committee comes to an end.

Three years after the adoption of the present Decision the Commission shall review its implementation and publish a report, which shall include statistical analysis of the gender balance in expert groups and committees. Depending on the results of this review the Commission shall, at that time, take whatever action is appropriate.

Act Date
of entry into force
Decision 2000/407/EC 27.06.2000

4) Implementing Measures

5) Follow-Up Work

Annual Commission Report of 5 March 2003 on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the European Union 2002 [COM(2003) 98 final – Not published in the Official Journal];

Annual Commission Report of 28 May 2002 on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the European Union 2001 [COM(2002) 258 final – Not published in the Official Journal];

Annual Commission Report of 2 April 2001 on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the European Union 2000 [COM(2001) 179 final – Not published in the Official Journal];

Council Decision 2001/51/EC of 20 December 2000 establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005) [Official Journal L17 of 19.01.2001];

Communication from the Commission of 7 July 2000 on the Commission Decision relating to a gender balance within the committees and expert groups established by it [Official Journal C 203 of 18.07.2000];

Communication from the Commission of 7 June 2000 – “Towards a community framework strategy on gender equality” [COM(2000) 335 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

Incorporation of equal opportunities into Community policies

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Incorporation of equal opportunities into Community policies

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Incorporation of equal opportunities into Community policies

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Incorporation of equal opportunities into Community policies

The European Union sets out the principle that the gender perspective should systematically be taken into account in all Community policies and actions; this should be done actively and openly at the planning stage.

Document or Iniciative

Communication from the Commission of 21 February 1996 “Incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all Community policies and activities” [COM(96) 67 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

Summary

The principle of ‘gender mainstreaming’ consists of taking systematic account of the differences between the conditions, situations and needs of women and men in all Community policies and actions. This global, horizontal approach requires the mobilisation of all policies.

The Communication first presents the acquis communautaire on equality and the outlook for action in various areas:

  • employment and the labour market: the Commission intends to continue to structure a legal framework for equal opportunities, and to rationalise and improve the integration of its measures to support studies of female entrepreneurship and the reconciliation of family and working life;
  • women entrepreneurs and assisting spouses in SMEs, including the agriculture and fisheries sectors: the Commission intends to reinforce measures to help women in SMEs, in particular by improving flexibility of work, vocational qualifications, and access to finance;
  • education and training; all Community activities in the fields of education, training or youth designed to incorporate equal opportunities, either as a specific objective or an additional priority;
  • people’s rights: the Commission has mounted actions to combat violence against women and the trafficking in people and to reintegrate into society the victims of such traffic, while activities to improve the safety and integrity of female refugees are being envisaged;
  • development cooperation: the Commission intends to continue to incorporate the principle of gender mainstreaming in Community development policies and in development cooperation agreements with developing countries, using strategies set out in the Commission’s Communication on integrating gender issues in development cooperation [COM(1995) 423 final – Not published in the Official Journal];
  • staff policy: the Commission has applied an equal opportunities policy to its staff for many years through positive action programmes.

The second part of the Communication describes the role of the Structural Funds, the Community’s main financial instrument and one which is used in relation to several of these areas with a view to promoting equal opportunities.

The progressive implementation of these guidelines calls for a significant increase in cooperation within the Commission’s departments and strengthening of the partnership with the Member States and the various players and organisations concerned.

Background

The Commissions Communication follows on from the European Community’s participation in the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women,held in Beijing in September 1995.

Related Acts

Communication from the Commission, of 7 June 2000 – Towards a Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)» [COM(2000) 335 final – Not published in the Official Journal]

The European Union drew up a Community framework strategy on gender equality to allow the issue of equal opportunities to be incorporated in all Community activities so that these activities help to achieve the objective of eliminating inequality and promoting gender equality. There is also a related Community action programme on equal opportunities which provides financial support.

Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union, of 7 December 2000 [OJ C 364 of 18.12.2000]

Article 23(1): “Equality between men and women must be ensured in all areas, including employment, work and pay.”

Progress report from the Commission on the follow-up to the Communication: ‘Incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all Community policies and activities’ [COM(98) 122 final – Not published in the Official Journal]

The report notes that significant progress has been made since 1996 in taking account of equal opportunities for women and men in Community policies and activities. Under the aegis of the Commissioners’ Group on equal opportunities, a new structure has been put in place comprising an official from each Directorate-General, whose specific task is to promote equal opportunities for women and men. Its objective is to systematically incorporate the equal opportunities dimension into all Community activities.

Three policy areas should be noted in particular with regard to the results achieved: external relations; employment and social policy; and education, training and youth policies. The report examines in detail the progress made in these areas.

The report also mentions progress in other sectors, such as the cooperation between the Member States to combat trafficking in human beings, the prevention of violence against women, the increasing priority accorded to women who are the victims of armed conflict, and the importance which the Commission’s modernisation programme attaches to equal opportunities.

The report also notes significant shortcomings and barriers, with many initiatives remaining isolated and therefore without major impact on the overall situation in the area of gender equality. The barriers include, in particular, lack of awareness of gender issues at the decision-making levels, lack of human and budgetary resources allocated to these tasks and lack of gender expertise.

Among other things, the report recommends: raising awareness of the gender dimension, targeting as a priority senior and middle management; training to develop gender expertise; gender impact assessment of policies as a regular procedure; systematic gender proofing of any legislative proposal or other policy document.

In order to make further progress, incorporation of the gender dimension requires a more comprehensive global approach.

Reports

The Spring European Council held on 20/21 March 2003 invited the Commission “to prepare, in collaboration with the Member States, an annual report to the Spring European Council on developments towards gender equality and orientations for gender mainstreaming of policy areas”.

Equal opportunities report 2001

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Equal opportunities report 2001

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Equal opportunities report 2001

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Equal opportunities report 2001

To present an overview of the main developments and achievements in the field of equal opportunities in 2001 – at both European and national level – and to describe the outlook for 2002.

2) Document or Iniciative

Communication from the Commission, of 28 May 2002, to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Annual Report on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the European Union 2001 [COM(2002) 258 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

3) Summary

Framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)

The Community framework strategy, adopted in June 2000, is aimed both at integrating the gender dimension in all Community policies that have an impact on the equal opportunities objective (principle of mainstreaming) and at promoting the introduction of specific measures to reduce inequalities. In 2001, noticeable progress was made with regard to both the integration of gender issues in the various policies and the introduction of specific measures.

As regards the mainstreaming of gender equality in Community policies, significant advances were noted in a number of areas, including the following:

  • enterprise: a study aimed at identifying and evaluating good practices in relation to the promotion of female entrepreneurship was launched, while another study to assess the gender impact of the “Innovation and SMEs” specific programme within the 5th framework research programme (1998-2002) was finalised and published recently.
  • Broad Economic Policy Guidelines: the Belgian Presidency of the European Union (EU) – July-December 2001 – launched an initiative to strengthen gender mainstreaming in the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines;
  • the Barcelona process: under the MEDA programme for cooperation with southern Mediterranean countries, a regional forum on the role of women in economic development was held in Brussels in July 2001;
  • education and continuing training: an action plan for gender equality (2001-2002) was adopted by the Socrates Committee in February 2001. The first phase is concerned with evaluating the gender dimension and the second phase with identifying indicators for improving the implementation of gender equality;
  • humanitarian aid: in 2001, the European Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) continued to incorporate the gender dimension in humanitarian aid. For example, it funded projects focusing on the specific needs of women, particularly in Iraq, Serbia and Afghanistan;
  • the employment strategy: in connection with the adoption of the annual employment package, on 12 September 2001 the Commission sent a set of recommendations to eleven Member States encouraging them to strengthen equality between women and men;
  • combating violence and trafficking: implementation of the DAPHNE and STOP programmes continued in 2001 and the Commission adopted a new STOP II programme (to run until 2003). The implementation of the STOP II programme provided an opportunity to focus on assisting and protecting women who are the victims of violence;
  • the social inclusion process: in June 2001, the Member States drew up their first biennial national action plans based on common objectives to combat poverty and social exclusion. In these plans, most Member States identified higher risks of poverty and social exclusion among elderly women, single parents and victims of domestic violence. Even though many Member States are committed to enhancing the mainstreaming of the gender dimension over the next two years, there is still a lot to be done to find a consistent approach to gender needs and characteristics across all the strands of these plans.

As provided for in Decision 2000/407/EC of 19 June 2007, the Commission is committed to achieving a male/female balance in committees and expert groups, with a target of 40% minimum participation of both women and men. Following a first survey in 2000 among certain expert groups of the Commission in which an average of only 13.5% of the members were women, a second, much more comprehensive survey was conducted in 2001. In that year, the average percentage of women in all the Commission’s committees and expert groups was 28.8%. Among the members of those committees and expert groups for which the Commission had the right of appointment, 30.5% were women, whilst among the committees and groups on whose membership the Commission had no influence 28.4% were women.

The Member States continued to carry out a whole series of activities aimed at promoting equality between women and men and mainstreaming the gender dimension. The many initiatives taken include the example set by Austria, which adopted a project aimed at increasing the presence of women in the technology sector, especially IT. In Sweden, the law on equality between men and women was strengthened in January 2001. In the United Kingdom, a new government telephone helpline “Equality Direct” – backed up by a website – designed to provide firms with free information and advice on all equality-related issues was set up.

Equal pay was the priority theme chosen for 2001 under the Community framework strategy on gender equality and the associated funding programme. It was chosen because it is the most visible inequality in the European labour market. Despite the existence of legal provisions on this subject, women still earn an average of 14% less than men (in 1997, this difference was more pronounced in the private sector – 19% – than in the public sector – 10%).

The high profile given to the issue of equal pay was reflected in the conclusions of the Stockholm European Council (March 2001), which called on the Council and the Commission to develop appropriate indicators. This preparatory work enabled the Belgian Presidency to produce a set of indicators on pay differentials between women and men. Moreover, in September 2001 the European Parliament adopted a report on equal pay, which confirmed that a diversified approach would have to be adopted by all parties, whether European institutions, Member States or social partners, in order to obtain tangible results. The European Employment Strategy also plays an important part in achieving the objective of equal pay. Following the evaluation of the national plans for 2001, certain Member States announced various initiatives aimed at reducing pay differentials. However, the efforts will have to be continued if these initiatives are to come to anything and the social partners are to take an active part. Lastly, it is important to stress that the majority of the 27 projects selected in 2001 under the action programme address the issue of equal pay. Their funding amounts to a total of around 8 million euro. The first results of these projects are expected in 2003.

The following priority themes have been chosen for the programme on gender equality over the next few years:

  • 2001-2002: equal pay;
  • 2002-2003: reconciliation of work and family life;
  • 2003-2004: women in decision-making;
  • 2004-2005: gender stereotyping.

Legal developments

Substantial progress was made in 2001 on the proposal to amend the 1976 Directive on equal treatment in employment. The amended Directive is expected to break new ground in a number of important areas, including:

  • recognition of sexual harassment as discrimination on grounds of sex;
  • encouraging employers to prepare annual equality plans;
  • strengthening of the provisions concerning the judicial protection and compensation available to individuals in the event of discrimination;
  • strengthening of persons’ rights regarding maternity or paternity leave.

In response to questions put by national courts about cases relating to gender equality, the Court of Justice of the European Communities handed down three major rulings in 2001:

  • the judgements given in the Melgar and Tele Danmark cases, according to which instances of dismissal or non-renewal of an open-ended employment contract by reason of pregnancy constitute direct and unjustifiable discrimination on grounds of sex;
  • the Menauer case, in which the Court held that German pension funds entrusted with administering occupational pension schemes were bound by the principle of equal pay in the same way as an employer;
  • the Griesmar and Mouflin cases relating to two provisions of the French Civil and Military Pensions Code that discriminate against men, which were declared incompatible with Community law.

As regards the main developments in Member States’ legislation, a Finnish collective agreement provides that every sector can henceforth create a special equality allowance, which is designed to raise the remuneration of women who are not paid sufficiently well despite the difficulty of their work and their education in traditionally low-paid industrial sectors. In Denmark, the Equal Pay Act has been amended so that it is now more transparent. As far as national case law is concerned, the UK Employment Appeals Tribunal has broadened the definition of “comparator” so as to allow an employee of a local authority to compare him or herself with an employee of another local authority even where the two salary scales had been agreed independently. Paternity leave has been introduced in Greece and legislation on this subject has been proposed in France, Finland and the UK. Moreover, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands have introduced legislation on the extension of maternity leave.

Equality in the enlargement process

The work of transposing European legislation on equal opportunities is under way in the candidate countries, some of which already obtained good results in 2001. However, the legislation in itself is not sufficient. The introduction of support mechanisms is just as essential to the achievement of gender equality. In this context, it is vital to have institutional and administrative structures that facilitate the implementation of and respect for rights relating to equality. Substantial efforts still need to be made in this direction.

Outlook for 2002

In 2002, the spotlight will be on reconciliation of work and family life. Various initiatives will be launched at European level in order to raise the profile of this issue, to finance transnational projects, to improve the statistics and indicators and to draw up a report on the application of the parental leave Directive.

The Commission will also submit a proposal for a directive on discrimination on the grounds of sex. This new legal basis will make it possible to take action in areas other than employment and social security, which at present constitute the relatively limited field of application of Community law on equality.

In 2002, the fight against trafficking in women and violence and the enhancement of the importance given to gender equality in the EU’s external policies and the actions of the Structural Funds will continue to be policy priorities. Lastly, in line with the current evaluation of the participation of women in the decision-making process and with an eye to the European Parliament elections in 2004, the Commission plans to focus its activities in 2003 on promoting the gender balance in decision-making.

4) Implementing Measures

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5) Follow-Up Work

Report from the Commission, of 5 March 2003, to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Annual Report on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the European Union 2002 [COM(2003) 98 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

 

Report on equal opportunities 2002

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Report on equal opportunities 2002

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Report on equal opportunities 2002

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Report on equal opportunities 2002

To present an overview of the main developments and achievements in the field of equal opportunities in 2002, both at European and at national level, and to describe the outlook for 2003.

2) Document or Iniciative

Communication from the Commission, of 5 March 2003, to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Annual Report on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in the European Union in 2002 [COM(2003) 98 Final – Not published in the Official Journal].

3) Summary

ENLARGEMENT

2002 was an historic year in the European Union (EU) enlargement process as it saw the conclusion of accession negotiations with 10 candidate countries. The period leading up to their entry into the EU on 1 May 2004 will therefore be an opportunity to step up monitoring and support for these countries in the final stages of their preparation for full membership. In this context the action programme for equal opportunities was opened up to candidate countries in 2002.

Legal Transposition

In the field of equal opportunities nine European Directives had to be transposed. The majority of accession countries, in particular Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, are fairly well advanced in the process of alignment with this acquis. Cooperation will continue with Romania and Bulgaria who have made significant progress towards alignment with Community law.

Implementing structures

Transposing the law is not enough in itself. It is equally important to establish adequate institutional and administrative structures, in particular equality organisations and mediators as well as independent advisory bodies. Several countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Poland have already set up structures of this nature. In both Cyprus and Malta the administrative capacities needed to transpose the Community acquis are in place but need to be further strengthened.

The socio-economic dimension

There is a marked contrast between the current Member States and the accession countries in socio-economic terms. For many years there was a strong presence of women on the labour market in the accession countries, but their numbers fell significantly during the early years of the transition. Levels of unemployment are high among both women and men, particularly in Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and the Slovak Republic. Moreover, men’s participation in the labour market is lower than the EU average and therefore the gender gap in terms of both employment and unemployment is narrower than in the EU. However, as in the Member States, labour markets in the accession countries are strongly gender segregated and the salary gap is wider still. There is a general recognition of the need for a gender mainstreaming policy and strategy but the necessary tools are lacking. Furthermore, beyond the basic provisions for maternity and parental leave, there have been very few developments in terms of family-friendly working-time arrangements.

Cooperation in the field of social inclusion mainly consists of preparing Joint Inclusion Memoranda, the aim of which is to prepare the accession countries for full participation in the European Social Inclusion Process from the date of accession. The memoranda will be finalised by the end of 2003 and, for accession countries, represent a major step towards establishing their first National Action Plans in 2005 to combat poverty and social exclusion.

As regards the role of women in decision-making, it is important that women in accession countries are able to reap the benefits of existing Community law on male-female equality. When European elections are held in June 2004 women will have to be in a position to take on their role, equal to that of men, in decision-making and political life. In 2003 the Commission will concentrate its activities on the promotion of gender balance in decision-making which will provide a basis for action and exchange on this theme between accession countries and Member States.

FRAMEWORK STRATEGY FOR GENDER EQUALITY

The strategy for gender mainstreaming has proved an efficient tool in the promotion of equality between men and women. Gender mainstreaming combined with specific actions, legislation and financing programmes in particular, constitutes the dual approach covered by the framework strategy for gender equality.

The European Employment Strategy

In 2002 the Commission carried out an evaluation of the European Employment Strategy which revealed that more emphasis is being put on the gender equality issue, even in the Member States that were “lagging behind”, and the gap between the sexes has narrowed in terms of employment and unemployment rates. Nevertheless these inequalities are still too marked and a lot remains to be done in order to overcome them. Furthermore, substantial progress still has to be made in the development of child-care facilities.

The Structural Funds

In this area gender equality policy is also based on the dual approach of specific measures along with gender mainstreaming across all Structural Fund operations. This dual approach is most advanced in the European Social Fund (ESF), the EU’s main financial support tool for the European Employment Strategy. Most of the initiatives aimed at reducing gender inequalities focus on employment and are funded by the ESF. Gender mainstreaming has proved more difficult in other Structural Fund areas such as transport, the environment and rural development.

As regards improving the promotion of gender equality through the Structural Funds, only a few programmes using the funds in the Member States have adopted a global gender mainstreaming strategy. Moreover, the majority of these programmes lack clear targets and monitoring in terms of gender equality.

The Social Inclusion Process

The European Social Inclusion Process has been developed to support Member States in their fight against poverty and social exclusion. The Member States draw up National Action Plans on the basis of the common objectives set out by the Council of Ministers. They have also been asked to include gender mainstreaming in all their strategies for combating poverty and social exclusion.

The gender dimension did not feature strongly in the first National Action Plans submitted in 2001, but in July 2002 the Ministers agreed to enhance this aspect of the plans which added great impetus to successful gender mainstreaming. In the next round, due in July 2003, the National Action Plans are expected to put more emphasis on specific actions on gender and demonstrate gender mainstreaming throughout.

The gender dimension in the national strategies on pension

Although women are in the majority amongst old people, most pension schemes have traditionally been designed for men who support a family and work full time without taking a career break. The first national reports, submitted in September 2002, show that many pension systems still reflect these basic principles. In many countries, in fact, women’s pensions remain, on average, significantly lower than men’s. However, there is some evidence that the Member States are gradually adapting their systems in line with developments in the social and economic role of women and men, although the effects of such changes are not likely to be felt for some time.

Other policies

In the field of research and development the Commission intends to create a European Platform for women scientists aimed at promoting female scientists and involving them more actively in shaping the science policy debate at national and European level. Furthermore, in December 2002 the Commission published its first calls for proposals under the 6th Community Research Framework Programme among which was a call for proposals concerning women and scientific activities.

In May 2002, in response to the Commission’s Communication entitled “Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality”, the Council adopted a Resolution which recognises equal opportunities as one of the fundamental principles behind the concept of lifelong learning. It also views ongoing training for women, particularly within companies, as an essential goal.

The Commission’s Directorate-General (DG) Environment included gender mainstreaming in its Management Plan. Significant progress has been made in the field of waste, water, marine and soil management in which gender impact studies have been undertaken.

POLICIES AND SPECIFIC ACTIONS FOR GENDER EQUALITY

Legislation

Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards employment, professional training and promotion and working conditions was amended in September 2002. One of the key amendments dealt with sexual harassment at work. For the first time at European level a binding law now defines sexual harassment and prohibits it as a form of discrimination based on sex. Although the Member States have until 2005 to conform to the Directive’s new provisions, the majority of them have already adopted measures aimed at combating sexual harassment, particularly Belgium, France, Finland and Ireland.

Several national courts have been called on to pass judgement on the issue of equal pay. In the Netherlands, for example, a court has ruled in favour of a care worker who brought a claim over equal pay.

In 2002 several Member States took initiatives to facilitate the reconciliation of work with family life. Austria, the Netherlands, Finland, Catalonia and Germany have actually adopted measures along these lines.

The action programme

Equality of pay between women and men was the main theme in 2001, the first year of the programme, because the salary gap between men and women is one of the most striking inequalities that women face in their professional lives. The majority of the projects chosen in the framework of the Action Programme dealt with issues of equal pay. The results are due in 2003 but, since the projects run for 15 months, several conferences on the subject were held in 2002 and provided an opportunity to underline the persistence of the equal pay issue.

The reconciliation of work and family life was the priority in 2002. This is an essential part of the gender dimension in the European employment strategy and in the social inclusion process. It aims to ensure favourable conditions for women and men for entering, returning to and remaining on the job market. This includes access to quality, affordable childcare services, an equal division of childcare and domestic responsibilities, encouraging fathers to take parental leave and the possibility of flexible working arrangements both for men and women. In response to the calls for proposals under the Gender Equality Programme, 18 projects on this theme were selected in 2002 under the action programme.

In 2003 the emphasis will be on women in decision-making. Attaining political parity remains a concern both at Member State and European level. Although several Member States have introduced legislation in this field, the results of recent national elections failed to live up to expectations. In France, for example, the equality law did not have the desired effect of balancing representation either in the local or parliamentary elections. Several Member States such as Belgium, Ireland, Spain and the UK are now tackling the issue of gender-balanced political representation.

In 2004-2005 priority will be given to the theme of male and female stereotypes.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Trafficking in human beings

The fight against trafficking in human beings is one of the EU’s political priorities. In 1996 the EU launched the STOP programme in support of actions aimed at combating the trafficking of human beings and the sexual exploitation of children. In September 2002, the European conference “Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings – Global challenge for the 21st century” took place in Brussels. The conference was a Commission initiative in the framework of the STOP II programme and was organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the European Parliament and the Commission. It resulted most significantly in the Brussels Declaration aimed at developing European and international cooperation and encouraging the adoption of concrete measures, norms, good practices and mechanisms to combat and prevent trafficking in human beings. With this aim in mind, the Brussels Declaration makes recommendations on the prevention of trafficking, assisting and protecting victims and police and judicial cooperation.

Domestic violence

Community action to prevent violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk is brought together under the DAPHNE programme. Early in 2003 the Commission issued a proposal on the second phase of Community action, DAPHNE II (2004-2008). This proposal is similar in structure to that of the initial DAPHNE programme (2000-2003) and draws on the experience gained through the first programme.

Other initiatives

Serious attention has also been paid to a number of worrying situations, including the condition of women in Afghanistan, the stoning of women and the integration of Muslim women into European society.

OUTLOOK FOR 2003

The Commission’s work programme for 2003 will include the following horizontal priorities for all its services:

  • gender impact assessment will be incorporated into the overall impact assessment of new proposals and gender mainstreaming will continue in new areas;
  • each service will increase its efforts to obtain gender-specific data, to systematically break down all related statistics by gender and to establish gender equality indicators;
  • each DG and service will incorporate gender mainstreaming modules into their training plans for all staff, particularly those at management level.

The Commission will launch an open consultation on possible guidelines for the recasting of existing Directives in the field of equal treatment. Furthermore, in 2003 the Commission intends to present a report on the implementation of the Directive on parental leave, looking in particular at the reasons why fathers fail to exercise this right. Lastly, the Greek and Italian presidencies will prepare an analysis, including indicators, of women in decision-making.

4) Implementing Measures

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5) Follow-Up Work

 

Report on equality between men and women, 2004

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Report on equality between men and women, 2004

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Report on equality between men and women, 2004

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Report on equality between men and women, 2004

Document or Iniciative

Report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 19 February 2004, “Report on equality between women and men, 2004” [COM(2004) 115 – Not published in the Official Journal].

Summary

In response to the request of the 2003 Spring European Council, the Commission has drafted, in collaboration with the Member States, an annual report to the Spring European Council on the progress achieved in promoting equality between women and men and on the approaches taken with a view to mainstreaming the gender dimension into the various policies.

EQUALITY BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN: STATE OF PLAY

The Member States and accession countries have undoubtedly made progress towards greater equality between women and men. The Commission report confirms a positive trend towards reducing inequalities between the sexes in several strategic fields.

For example, in most of Europe there are more females than males in secondary and higher education. Today, the majority of graduates are women, even if they are still in a minority at the highest level of education. Moreover, use of the Structural Funds, in particular the European Social Fund, has been found to have a catalyser effect on national gender equality policies.

However, the rate of progress observed tends to vary over time and from one Member State to another. Inequalities persist in most of the strategic areas, and slow progress is jeopardising Europe’s competitiveness. According to the objective set at Lisbon, the European Union has committed itself to becoming, by 2010, the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world. The active participation of women on the labour market and reducing the gap between the sexes in the various fields are vital if this objective is to be achieved.

The Commission therefore calls on the Member States, via the European Council, to redouble their efforts to promote equality between men and women in all areas of society and draws their attention to certain challenges.

THE CHALLENGES

Effectiveness of the Community’s gender equality policy

The Commission emphasises the need to guarantee the rapid implementation in the Member States of recently adopted legislation and the correct transposition of EU law in the area of equal treatment in the accession countries.

For reasons of simplicity and legal certainty, and in the context of enlargement, the Commission plans to replace the existing legal texts with a single directive on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment for men and women in work and employment. The Commission also wishes to see the adoption, before March 2005, of the proposal for a directive extending the scope of equal treatment legislation beyond the labour market, to include, in particular, access to goods and services and the provision of goods and services.

Reducing inequalities on the labour market in employment and pay

The Commission notes that, although it has definitely narrowed, the gap between women and men in employment and unemployment rates remains considerable. However, they should be less pronounced after the enlargement of the Union. The pay gap between women and men is still wide, more so in the private sector than in the public sector. Women are still particularly vulnerable to poverty, especially when they are less well educated, suffering domestic violence, older or living alone with children.

It is vital for Member States to pursue their efforts to ensure equal treatment for men and women on the labour market and to meet the Lisbon objective of a female employment rate of 60% by 2010. The Commission would like to draw their attention to certain priorities: promoting the quality of employment, making work pay, combating pay cuts in occupations where the number of women is starting to rise and obtaining a real commitment from the social partners.

Work/home life balance

The opportunities for women and men to balance their career with their home life has a decisive impact on the success of strategies for increasing employment rates. The report shows that women perform the majority of domestic and family tasks. The Commission recommends the promotion of parental leave systems shared by both parents, particularly in order to ward off the negative impact of long-term maternity leave on women’s employment. In order to allow women and men to continue to work, Member States should improve the supply of childcare services and care for other dependants, using sufficient, appropriate structures. It is also important to encourage men to shoulder a more equal burden of family responsibilities.

Promoting the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making

Women are still under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes, at European and national levels. Governments, political parties and all the social partners should therefore be mobilised in order to ensure balanced representation of men and women in decision-making in all areas of society. The Commission is also promoting a balanced representation of men and women in the elections to the European Parliament in 2004.

Implementation of gender mainstreaming

The Commission emphasises the need to step up the implementation of gender mainstreaming in all the relevant strategic areas, both in the Member States and at EU level. Moreover, equality between men and women must remain a priority in the use of all the Structural Funds, especially in the context of the new programming period for the Structural Funds. It is also important to strive for equality between men and women in the European Research Area.

Combating violence against women and the trafficking of women

The Commission is in favour of moving beyond the mere political recognition of the need to eliminate violence against women and the trafficking of women. The Member States and the accession countries must step up and broaden their efforts, formulate benchmarks and measure progress against them. Preventing and combating violence in the home is essentially a local and national matter, but may also come within the framework of the new programme Daphné II. The trafficking of women must be combated using a global approach which includes prosecution, victim protection and assistance, as well as preventive measures based on campaigns and cross-border and international cooperation.

Promotion of organisations active in the field of equality between men and women

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Promotion of organisations active in the field of equality between men and women

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Promotion of organisations active in the field of equality between men and women

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Promotion of organisations active in the field of equality between men and women (2004-2006)

The European Union is implementing a Community action programme to grant financial support to organisations active on a European level in the field of equality between men and women.

Document or Iniciative

Decision No 848/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004, establishing a Community action programme to promote organisations active at European level in the field of equality between men and women [].

Summary

The proposal is based on Article 13 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, which confers on the Council the power to take appropriate action to combat all discrimination, including discrimination based on sex.

Objective

The proposed programme constitutes a basic instrument of financial support for the activities of organisations whose actions serve the general European interest in the field of equality between men and women.

Beneficiary organisations

To be eligible for a grant, organisations must participate in Community action in the area of equality between women and men, comply with the principles and legal provisions governing such Community action, and have transnational potential. Moreover, organisations must have been legally established for at least one year. They may act alone or as part of various coordinated associations. Selection is based on calls for proposals.

In view of its leading role in promoting, monitoring and disseminating Community measures aimed at women, the European Women’s Lobby is named in the programme and is thus awarded an operational grant directly.

The proposal covers a wide geographical area. Beneficiary organisations may be established in the Member States or candidate countries, provided the latter have established a Memorandum of Understanding.

Financial aspects

The proposed programme stipulates that the operational grant awarded cannot represent more than 80% of the organisation’s total eligible expenditure for the calendar year for which the grant is awarded.

The programme will run from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2005. The financial framework provided for by the proposal to cover this period amounts to EUR 3.3 million.

Transitional clauses introduced on an exceptional basis state that, for grants awarded in 2004, the period of eligibility may start on 1 January 2004, subject to certain conditions.

Context

The Commission’s White Paper on Governance [(COM)2001 0428 final] advocates the participation and involvement of citizens of civil society and civil society organisations in the shaping and implementation of policies.

Council Regulation (Financial Regulation) (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 requires the adoption of a basic instrument for existing support measures for organisations working in the field of promoting gender equality. The European Union is therefore proposing to adopt a structured programme geared towards granting financial support to these organisations.

References

Act Entry into force Deadline for transposition in the Member States Official Journal
Decision 848/2004/EC 01.05.2004 – OJ L 157 of 30.4.2004
Amending act(s) Entry into force Deadline for transposition in the Member States Official Journal
Decision 1554/2005/EC 30.09.2005 – OJ L 255 of 30.09.2005

European Institute for Gender Equality

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European Institute for Gender Equality

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about European Institute for Gender Equality

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

European Institute for Gender Equality

Document or Iniciative

Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing a European Institute for Gender Equality.

Summary

Gender equality is a fundamental right under the Treaty of Lisbon and a priority policy of the European Union (EU). However, further progress must be made in order to achieve real gender equality in the spheres of both professional and private life.

In this respect, the European Institute for Gender Equality plays a significant role in providing the expertise needed to develop gender equality policies across the EU.

Aims of the Institute

The Institute brings its technical expertise to the European institutions and the Member States in order to help to:

  • promote and strengthen gender equality;
  • include gender mainstreaming in all Community policies and resulting national policies;
  • fight discrimination based on sex;
  • raise EU citizens’ awareness, specifically through conferences and publicity campaigns.

The Institute bases its work on objective, comparable and reliable data at European level. It is responsible for collecting, analysing and disseminating this information.

It also analyses information collected from international organisations and third countries. Lastly, it contributes to integrating the principle of gender equality into European external policy.

The Institute promotes the exchange of experience and dialogue between all relevant stakeholders, specifically the social partners, non-governmental organisations and research centres.

Operation

The Institute performs its tasks in an independent and transparent manner. It is led by a Management Board, with the support of a Director and is assisted by an Experts’ advisory forum. Its seat is in Vilnius (Lithuania).

In particular, it cooperates with the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training.

References

Act Entry into force Deadline for transposition in the Member States Official Journal

Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006

19.1.2007

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OJ L 403, 30.12.2006

Gender equality in the labour market

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Gender equality in the labour market

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Gender equality in the labour market

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Gender equality in the labour market

Document or Iniciative

Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation (recast) [Official Journal L 204 of 26.7.2006].

Summary

Equality between men and women is a fundamental principle of European law which applies to all aspects of life in society, including to the world of work.

Equality in employment and working conditions

This Directive prohibits direct or indirect discrimination * between men and women concerning the conditions of:

  • recruitment, access to employment and self-employment;
  • dismissals;
  • vocational training and promotion;
  • membership of workers’ or employers’ organisations.

In addition, the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (Article 157) prohibits discrimination on grounds of sex on matters of pay for the same work or work of equal value. This principle also applies to job classification systems used for determining pay.

However, different treatment for men and women may be justified by reason of the nature of the particular occupational activity, if the measures taken are legitimate and proportionate.

Member States shall encourage employers and vocational trainers to act against discrimination on grounds of sex, and particularly against harassment and sexual harassment *.

Equality in social protection

Women and men are treated equally under occupational social security schemes, particularly concerning:

  • the scope and conditions of access to the schemes;
  • the contributions;
  • the calculation of benefits, including supplementary benefits, and the conditions governing the duration and retention of entitlement.

This principle applies to the whole working population, including:

  • self-employed workers, however for this category Member States may provide for different treatment, in particular concerning the age of retirement;
  • workers whose activity is interrupted by illness, maternity, accident or involuntary unemployment;
  • persons seeking employment, retired and disabled workers, and those claiming under them.

Parental leave

At the end of maternal, paternal or adoption leave, employees have the right to:

  • return to their jobs or to equivalent posts on conditions which are no less favourable to them;
  • benefit from any improvement in working conditions to which they would have been entitled during their absence.

Defence of rights

Member States must put in place remedies for employees who have been victims of discrimination, such as conciliation and judicial procedures. In addition, they shall take the necessary measures to protect employees and their representatives against adverse treatment as a reaction to a complaint within the undertaking or to any legal proceedings.

Lastly, they shall establish penalties and reparation or compensation possibilities in relation to the damage sustained.

In the case of legal proceedings, the burden of proof is on the party accused of discrimination who must prove that there has been no breach of the principle of equal treatment.

Promoting equal treatment

Member States appoint bodies whose role it is to promote, analyse and monitor equal treatment, to ensure that the legislation is followed and also to provide support to victims of discrimination.

In addition, enterprises must promote the principle of gender equality and strengthen the role of social partners and non-governmental organisations.

Key terms of the Act
  • Direct discrimination: where one person is treated less favourably on grounds of sex than another is, has been or would be treated in a comparable situation.
  • Indirect discrimination: where an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice would put persons of one sex at a particular disadvantage compared with persons of the other sex, unless that provision, criterion or practice is objectively justified by a legitimate aim, and the means of achieving that aim are appropriate and necessary.
  • Harassment: where unwanted conduct related to the sex of a person occurs with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
  • Sexual harassment: where any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature occurs, with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

References

Act Entry into force Deadline for transposition in the Member States Official Journal

Directive 2006/54/EC

15.8.2006

15.8.2008

OJ L 204, 26.7.7

Report on equality between women and men – 2009

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Report on equality between women and men – 2009

Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Report on equality between women and men – 2009

Topics

These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.

Employment and social policy > Equality between men and women

Report on equality between women and men – 2009

Document or Iniciative

Report from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 27 February 2009 – Equality between women and men – 2009 [COM(2009) 77 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

Summary

The sixth Commission report sets out the main progress made in promoting equality between women and men in 2008. In view of the current demographic and economic challenges, the participation of women is an essential contribution to growth, employment and social cohesion in the European Union (EU).

In 2008, the rate of employment for women was close to the objectives set by the Lisbon strategy (60 % in 2010). However, the proportion varies between 36.9 % and 73.2 % according to the Member State. Moreover, women are overrepresented in precarious, short-term or part-time jobs.

They are more exposed than men to situations of poverty. This is the case for 32 % of single mothers and 21 % of women over the age of 65.

The average gap in employment rates between women and men is narrowing, and fell from 17.1 % in 2000 to 14.2 % in 2007. However, the sharing of family responsibilities remains unequal, and the employment rate of women with children falls by 12.4 percentage points whilst in the same situation that of men increases by 7.3 points.

Most qualifications in the EU (58.9 %) are obtained by women. However, their level of education does not reflect their situation on the labour market, where they are limited in terms of career development, remuneration and pension rights.

The number of female managers is quite small. The European average is 30 %. However the figure is lower than this in the majority of Member States.

Developments in regulations

In 2008, the Commission initiated infringement proceedings against certain Member States, concerning the transposition of Directive 2002/73/EC (on access to employment, vocational training and promotion) and Directive 2004/113/EC (on equal treatment in the access to goods and services).

The Commission is examining the effectiveness of existing legislation as regards equality of remuneration between men and women. It may propose, if necessary, new regulations on tackling the pay gap related to gender.

Many provisions have been adopted in order to promote reconciliation between working and family life. The Commission proposes the amendment of Directive 92/85/EEC on maternity protection, in particular by introducing an increase in minimum maternity leave to 18 weeks. These provisions should be extended, on a voluntary basis, to the self-employed and their assisting spouses. Social partners have started negotiations concerning parental leave and leave for family reasons, in addition to maternity leave, and have reached agreement. The Commission has adopted a proposal aimed at implementing this agreement through a directive. The Commission has also presented a report on childcare systems, the development of which is still insufficient in a large number of Member States.

The Council of June 2008 adopted conclusions aimed at encouraging the involvement of women in political decision-making and the elimination of sexist prejudice in society.

Strategic orientations

The contribution of equality policies to economic development, particularly in a context of economic slowdown. Changes to achieve real equality depend on removing the differences and barriers which limit the employment and the professional development of women.

The report highlights in particular the importance of:

  • reconciling family life and professional life, in particular through the sharing of parental responsibility and the development of childcare services;
  • combating stereotypes related to gender, through awareness-raising campaigns and the role of the media;
  • increasing the participation of women in decision-making positions and their representation in electoral processes by various means;
  • communication aimed at public opinion and improving understanding of the problems of equality between men and women at all levels of society.