A fundamental right

Gender equality is a common value of the EU and a necessary condition for achieving growth, jobs and social cohesion, says Vladimír Špidla

Progress towards equality between women and men has been made in the EU over the past several years. This has been particularly significant as regards employment, education, change of roles and stereotypes. Up until the late 1950s, in Germany, husbands still had to give their consent if their wives wanted to work and in France, if they wanted to open a bank account. Now women are the driving force behind employment growth.

However, there has been varying success in promoting equality and narrowing gender gaps over time and between member states and significant gaps still exist in many fields: the gender pay gap remains unchanged at 15 per cent across the EU, in the private sector even at 25 per cent. Still only a third of managers are women and the burden of reconciling family and work life remains to a large extent with women.

Over the years, the body of legislation in equal treatment between women and men has grown to form a coherent legal framework and is now an established part of the community acquis, which all member states have to respect. Nevertheless, legislation is not enough to attain de facto gender equality. Inequality between women and men is a multidimensional phenomenon that has to be tackled by a comprehensive mix of policy measures and involve all those concerned.

The commission’s current strategic policy framework in favour of gender equality is the roadmap for equality between women and men for 2006-2010.

The roadmap covers all the EU’s internal and external policies and addresses six priority areas: equal economic independence for men and women; reconciliation of work, private and family life; equal participation of men and women in decision-making; eradicating gender-based violence and trafficking; eliminating gender stereotypes in society; and promoting gender equality outside the EU.

The roadmap reaffirms the dual approach of gender equality based on gender mainstreaming – the promotion of gender equality in all policy areas and activities – and specific measures. It is vital that we maintain this duality. The application of a gender perspective in policy making can be a powerful tool in delivering more effective and efficient policies.

It is common sense that, given that women and men experience society and the economy differently, blunt policy instruments which take no account of this risk sub-optimising the results for both sexes. The commission follows up the achievements and forecasts for measures under its roadmap in a detailed work programme, which is published annually.

If the EU is to meet the challenges of globalisation, progress towards gender equality must accelerate, and gender mainstreaming must be strengthened at European and national level in all policies. We must continue to restate the values which lie at the heart of a Europe of equal opportunities for all. The European year of intercultural dialogue 2008 can certainly make a contribution to overcoming these challenges.

The European parliament, in particular the women’s rights committee and the national parliaments, have played a critical role in advancing gender equality policies. I am convinced that a reinforced partnership between the European institutions, the member states and the national parliaments, the social partners and the civil society is crucial to advancing the gender equality agenda.