Genere e Qualità

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Equality between women and men — 2010 

Although the economic and social context has changed, the crisis has not altered the underlying challenges, such as the better functioning of labour markets, the sustainability and adequacy of social protection, the ageing of society. Gender equality policies are part of the response to these challenges but the crisis reinforces the need for these policies to demonstrate their cost-effectiveness.

In 2010, the European Commission will renew its commitment to promoting gender equality by adopting a gender equality strategy to follow up the current Roadmap for equality between women and men. The Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs will also be updated and it is important that gender equality is consolidated in the EU 2020 strategy.

Women are more likely to have a disadvantaged position on the labour market e.g. due to higher incidence of precarious contracts, involuntary part-time and a persistent unfavourable pay gap (17.6 % on average in the EU in 2007), with repercussions on their lifetime earnings, social security protection and pensions, resulting in higher at-risk-of-poverty rates, especially once in retirement. In 2007, the at-risk-of-poverty rate was higher for women (17 %) than men (15 %) and this gap was especially high for older persons (22 % for women compared to 17 % for men) and single parents (34 %). The situation of those facing multiple disadvantages is particularly difficult. Finally, households will be more severely affected by a loss of income (due to job losses) in those countries where a male-breadwinner model still predominates, underlining the need for further support for the dual-earner model.

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The European Commission has published the report Gender mainstreaming of employment policies. A comparative review of thirty European countries,  Group of experts on Gender, Social Inclusion and Employment (EGGSIE)
The report on gender mainstreaming of employment policies prepared by the Expert Group on Gender, Social Inclusion and Employment (EGGSIE) has just been published. It analyses in detail how gender mainstreaming is implemented in the employment policies of 30 European countries (EU-27 and the EEA-EFTA countries). It also presents concrete examples of gender mainstreaming implemented over the last few years in the countries covered.
Important preconditions for an effective gender mainstreaming strategy are a clear and transparent organisational structure, clear enforcement mechanisms and a strong focus on achieving substantial equality. In addition, an analysis of the actual situation is essential in order to assess gender (in)equality, to prioritise areas for attention and to analyse the potential gender impact of policy measures.
Manual for gender mainstreaming of employment policies, European Commission, 2008

In 2006 the Commission has published 'A Roadmap for equality between women and men – 2006-2010' (Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions): ‘This Roadmap outlines six priority areas for EU action on gender equality for the period 2006-2010: equal economic independence for women and men; reconciliation of private and professional life; equal representation in decision-making; eradication of all forms of gender-based violence; elimination of gender stereotypes; promotion of gender equality in external and development policies. For each area, it identifies priority objectives and actions’.

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Decision-making: exchange of good practices, European Commission, 2007
A balanced share of power between women and men can be won only by acting at all levels, involving all stakeholders and focusing on all the factors that combine to create gender imbalance in decision-making. To support this effort, the European Commission has encouraged exchanges of information, good practices and networking between all actors involved in the field of equal opportunities between women and men under the fifth Community action programme on equal opportunities (2001-2006).
These projects have focused on various decision-making issues: some dealt with the role of public actors and policies, businesses and trade unions, others concentrated on a specific field of activity or level of governance, and others again to tackle stereotypes in order to break the glass-ceiling and raise the awareness of the stakeholders.