Making Equality Effective: The Role of Proactive Measures
European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Unit EMPL/G/2, 2010
93 Pages Posted: 30 Jun 2010
Date Written: December 1, 2009
Abstract
Gender inequality across Europe remains elusive. Figures from 2007 show that across Europe women earn on average 17.4 % less than men. Although women’s participation in the paid labour force is increasing, labour markets continue to be highly segregated, with women clustering in lower paid sectors or grades. Moreover, the increased participation of women in the labour market is largely characterised by a high proportion of part-time work. This reflects the fact that women remain primarily responsible for child-care, care of the elderly and the disabled. In addition, women are under-represented in national Parliaments and other decision-making bodies. Such inequalities persist despite a deep commitment at EU level to the achievement of gender equality, as well as a sophisticated framework of anti-discrimination laws across the EU member states.
The tenacity of gender inequality suggests the need to re-examine the methods used to achieve real and substantive equality between men and women. The traditional approach has been to rely on an individual complaints model of adjudication. But a range of new approaches are emerging, which aim at institutional change through proactive measures to promote equality. This report assesses these models in the light of current practice among the Member States of the EU and EEA.
Keywords: gender, sexism, labour, labor, inequality, women, segregation, affirmative action
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