Study on non-legislative initiatives for companies to promote gender ...

54 Gender equality initiatives
they more often are employed in junior positions. For this reason, they comprise only
32 % of those considered as heads of businesses (chief executives, directors and
managers of small businesses). 9
Also in other aspects of work quality 10 , gaps between women and men persist, e.g. in
reconciling professional and private life. The employment rate of women decreases by
12.4 %-points on average when they have children, while the rate for men with children
is rising by 7.3 %-points. Also in the area of part-time work there is a persisting gender
gap: While one woman in three (31.2 %) is a part-time worker, this is the case for less
than one man in ten (7.7 %).
Since 2003, the pay gap has remained steady. In 2007 it was at 17.4 %, which means
that in the EU, women on average earn 17 % less than men for every hour worked.
Women’s shorter, lower and less well-paid careers are also having an impact on their
risk of falling into poverty.
For a long time, the European Union has taken measures and has responded with
policies to reduce the imbalances in gender equality and reconcile professional, private
and family lives of women and men.
The first measure which was explicitly aiming at the improvement of qualification and
employment of women was the Community initiative ‘EMPLOYMENT’ (1994-1999) with
its action programme ‘NOW’ (New Opportunities for Women) 11 . Since 1997, gender
equality is an important part of the European Employment Strategy (EES). According to
the Lisbon strategy 12 , one of its targets is to raise women’s employment rate to 60 % in
2010 (from 57.2 % in 2006).
With the Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2001-2005) 13 an integrative
approach has been established aiming at coordinating the different initiatives and
programmes under a single umbrella with clear assessment criteria, monitoring tools,
the setting of benchmarks, gender proofing and evaluation. This marked an important
change on the previous equality strategies as Community work towards gender equality
has taken the form of a comprehensive strategy including all Community policies in its
efforts to promote gender equality, both by adjusting their policies (pro-active intervention:
gender mainstreaming) and by implementing concrete actions designed to
improve the situation of women in society (reactive intervention: specific actions).
The ‘Roadmap for equality between women and men (2006-2010)’ 14 builds on the
experience of the Framework Strategy on Gender Equality. Part I of the document
refers to the priority areas of action for gender equality, i.e. is achieving equal economic
independence for women and men, enhancing reconciliation of work, private and family
life, promoting equal participation of women and men in decision-making, eradicating
gender-based violence and trafficking, eliminating gender stereotypes in society, and
9
10
11
12
13
14
European Commission (2008): Women and men in decision-making 2007 – Analysis of situation and
trends.
European Commission (2009): Report on equality between women and men 2009.
http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c10218.htm (06.06.2008)
European Commission (2004): Facing the challenge. The Lisbon strategy for growth and employment.
COM(2000) 335 final
COM(2006) 92 final