- Equal Opportunities
The European
cross-sectoral social partner organizations ETUC, UNICE/UEAPME and CEEP,
meeting for the Social Dialogue Committee on 1 March 2005 agreed to recommend
for approval by their respective decision making bodies a Framework of Actions
on Gender Equality.
The position of women in
the EU labour market
The
2005 European Commission Report on Equality between Women and Men (see http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/news/2005/feb/gender_equality_2005_report_en.pdf)
shows that despite the significant progress made, a number of important gaps
still remain in the labour market performance between women and men.
The
main findings of the report are as follows:
·
Despite the slowdown
in economic growth and limited employment growth in the last few years, a
positive trend remains towards closing gender gaps in education and employment
in the enlarged EU. However, at the same time, the pay gap remains almost
unchanged.
·
Women outnumber men
in education. The percentage of women graduates increased to 58% in 2003 and
women now represent 41% of PhD graduates.
·
The gender gap in
employment decreased by 0.5% to 15.8% between 2002 and 2003 in the EU 25. The
female employment rate currently stands at 55.1% - only 1.9% below the mid-term
target of 57% by 2005.
·
The share of
part-time employment is 30.4% for women (only 6.6% for men). This, together
with the persistent vertical and horizontal segregation of the labour market
serves to explain much of the remaining gender pay gap. Sectoral segregation
(25.2%) and occupational segregation (17.5%) remain significant despite some
improvements and only 31% of managers were women in 2003. As a result the
gender pay gap remains at 15% for the EU 25.
·
Unemployment rates
are 10% for women and 8.3% for men.
·
Reconciliation
between work and family life remains a challenge for women and men (although
this is effectively mostly true for women). Women with young children have a
13.6% lower employment rate than women without children while men with young
children show a 10% higher employment rate than men without children. This is
the result of limited access to childcare and gender stereotyped roles in the
family. Women perform the majority of domestic work and consequently find it
harder to engage in paid work (men do less than 40% of all domestic work).
·
Women, and
particularly single mothers and older women are significantly more likely to be
at risk of poverty.
Negotiating the framework
of actions
In recognition of the
continuing gender gaps in the labour market and the problems these present in
reaching the Lisbon targets, the European social partners CEEP, UNICE/UEAPME
and ETUC decided in their 2002-2005 work programme to start negotiations on a
framework of actions on gender equality. These negotiations started in March
2004 with a series of seminars outlining the key facts and priorities in
relation to achieving gender equality.
The result for
priority areas were identified to be highlighted in the framework of actions:
Four seminars where
subsequently held to present existing good practice within member organizations
at national level on each of these areas. The good practice presented at these
seminars was to form the cornerstone of the priorities for action and tools to
be set out in the framework for actions. Good practice examples were collated
and are now used as an annex to the main body of the agreement to act as
inspiration for national social partner organizations when implementing the
agreement.
The content of the
Framework of Actions
The text of the
Framework of Actions is divided into four parts. In part one, entitled “social
partners’ approach”, CEEP, UNICE/UEAPME and ETUC underline their commitment to
enhancing gender equality in the labour market and in the workplace and thus to contribute to the implementation
of the Lisbon strategy. This section acknowledges the complex causes of
remaining gender inequality on the labour market. It recognizes the influence
of societal stereotypes on the existing division of labour between women and
men at home and in the workplace, but emphasizes that the priorities and
actions outlined in the framework of actions only relate to the role that
social partners can play in addressing these within their sphere of influence
and with the tools at their disposal in different industrial relations
contexts. Finally, the section emphasizes that the priorities and tools
identified spring from existing good practice implemented by social partners at
national level.
Entitled “challenges”,
section two of the agreement sets out the current position of women in the EU
labour market (see above) and the targets set by subsequent European Councils aimed
at reducing gender gaps in employment. The information in this section is
deliberately based on published facts and seeks to underline the need to take
action at national level.
Section three is the
main part of the agreement, which sets out the four priorities for action.
These priorities should be regarded to be interlinked and of equal importance.
Under the priority heading “addressing gender roles” the Framework of Actions
calls upon social partners to implement or support actions which help to break
down gender stereotypes in relation to career choices, with reference to both
sectors and occupations. For examples, through organizing open days in
companies, participating in careers fairs or co-operating with educational
institutions, employers can contribute towards non-gender biased education and
training, as well as careers advice, thus encouraging boys and girls to
consider all the available career options from an early stage. Emphasis is
placed on seeking to attract women and men into sectors and occupations where
they are currently under-represented. In addition, breaking down stereotypes in
the workplace is also about raising awareness among managers on the benefits of
promoting equal opportunities and diversity management, also in relation to
training and competence development. Finally, reference is made to promoting
entrepreneurship as a career option for both women and men.
The second priority
action “promoting women in decision making” relates to the persistent vertical
segregation of the labour market and proposes measures to address the so-call
“glass ceiling” phenomenon by promoting competence-based, gender neutral
recruitment; retention measures; furthering career development; promoting
female entrepreneurship as well as women’s role in social dialogue processes.
Effective work-life
balance measures are key to ensure individuals with caring responsibilities can
maintain their position in the labour market. Clearly other agencies and
national policies also have a key role to play in this respect, but social
partners can do their bit by considering flexible working arrangements to suit
both sides; promoting a balanced take-up of leave and flexible work options;
and working with public authorities to develop instruments which increase accessible,
affordable and high quality care facilities.
Progress in relation
to the fourth priority “tackling the gender pay gap” depends to a significant
extent on an unbiased understanding of the causes behind this phenomenon. Such
an understanding requires the availability of clear and up-to-date statistics.
Social partners are also called upon to ensure that pay systems, including job
evaluation schemes are transparent and gender neutral.
Actions and follow-up
The member
organizations of CEEP, UNICE/UEAPME and ETUC are committed to promoting this
framework of actions at national level and to draw up annual reports on the
actions carried out in the Member States on the four priority areas identified.
After four annual reports, the European social partners will evaluate the
impact of the Framework of Actions on both companies and workers and assess
whether priority areas need to be updated or additional action is required in
one or more of the priority areas.
For the full text of the Framework of Actions and its Annex, click the following links (GENDER EQUALITY and ANNEX - see attached documents)