TOPIC AT A GLANCE
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
KEY CONFLICTS
POLICIES APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM
WHAT NOW?
FUTHER LINKS
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
KEY CONFLICTS
POLICIES APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM
WHAT NOW?
FUTHER LINKS
TOPIC AT A GLANCE
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KEY STAKEHOLDERS, CORE CONCEPT & KEY TERMS
CORE CONCEPTS & KEY TERMS The employment rate is defined as the extent people who are accessible to work are being utilized in the field of employment. The gender employment gap is defined as the difference between the employment rates of males and females. The Gender Employment gap in the EU currently stands at 11.8%. The gender wage gap describes the difference between the wages of males and females for the same work. Gender norms are characterised as the shared beliefs within a culture or society about certain norms that are assigned to the genders which include characteristics, social roles, and behaviours. For instance, women are expected to do the majority of the domestic work, and be feminine, kind and emotional. Gender Equality is defined as ensuring that all genders have an equal amount of resources and opportunities, also securing an equal amount of rights for all genders. This concept is sometimes confused with Gender Equity. The Gender Bias is described as the tendency of deciding what a person of a certain gender can do, because of their assumed gender norm or role. Sectoral Segregation (also known as occupational segregation) is defined as a certain group underrepresented or overrepresented in a work sector, which results in a wage gap. |
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
All Member States share an individual responsibility to achieve Gender Equality outlined in Sustainable Development Goal 5 of The United Nations. The European Commission is the executive branch of the EU.One goal of the Commission is to achieve gender equality in Member States by promoting economic independence for all genders. This goal is outlined in the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025. The EU proposes directives to the European Commission which are later ratified into laws. The Council of Europe (CoE) is a human rights organisation based in the EU. It provides strategies for gender equality such as the “Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023”. The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is an independent body of the EU which helps to make gender equality possible in the EU. It also raises awareness and provides research, data, and best practices in achieving gender equality. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is a trade union organisation which allows millions of workers across the EU to make their voice heard. They work alongside the EU to oversee the implementation of gender equality in workspaces across Europe. |
KEY CONFLICTS
MOTHERHOOD VS EMPLOYMENT
Choosing between a part-time/full-time job versus being a stay-at-home mother is one of the biggest challenges women have had to face in the modern era. According to a study conducted by the European Commission, women work an average of 33 hours paid work a week, while also doing 22 hours of unpaid work in taking care of children at home. This is significantly higher than men who work an average of 39 hours a week, and only 10 hours extra spent taking care of children. Gender norms play a vast part in this problem. Women are expected to take care of children, stay at home and be nurturing, which poses an enormous problem for the women struggling to maintain a job while being a mother. |
MATERNITY LEAVE VS WORKING MOTHERS
Gender Norms are not the only problem faced by women in the EU. The laws regarding Maternity and Paternity leave are not fully developed, and they also vary across the individual Member States. The World Health Organisation recommendations state that children should breastfed until they are six months of age. According to this recommendation, Member States such as Sweden and Germany, who offer fourteen weeks of paid maternity leave, do not take into account the suggestions of The WHO. On the other hand, Ireland offers forty- two weeks of paid leave, and the Czech Republic offers twenty-eight weeks, giving extra leave time for new mothers. |
THE FEMALE WORKFORCE VS THE WAGE GAP
Despite the large controversy surrounding the gender wage gap in the EU, according to the 2018 data of The European Commission women earn 14.1% less than men. The problem lies within the balance of work and home, where women may spend less time at work and more time spent on the tasks of motherhood as a form of unpaid work. Another root cause may stem from sectoral segregation, while approximately 30% of working women are employed in the sectors of education and care which are relatively low-paying sectors.
Despite the large controversy surrounding the gender wage gap in the EU, according to the 2018 data of The European Commission women earn 14.1% less than men. The problem lies within the balance of work and home, where women may spend less time at work and more time spent on the tasks of motherhood as a form of unpaid work. Another root cause may stem from sectoral segregation, while approximately 30% of working women are employed in the sectors of education and care which are relatively low-paying sectors.
POLICY APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM
THE EU'S ACTION TOWARDS ENDING THE EMPLOYMENT GAP
With the ongoing problem of unequal payment between the genders, The EU has taken action towards resolving the issues at hand. In Member States, it is required to present an income report which is later sent to the European Works Council to calculate if the person is receiving the right payment with their qualifications. Civil and human rights organisations, such as CoE, are working towards raising awareness in the workplace and have partnerships with trade unions across the EU to shine a light on the problem of unequal payment. The European Commission has established a roadmap for a strategy which is aimed to adjust the framework of policies for the guardians with children to make it easier for them to balance work and home lifestyle.
One of the main founding values of the EU, seen in the Treaty of Rome’s Article 119, focused on the idea of equal gender wages and has been upheld since then. The European Commission has established a Gender Equality Strategy which includes efforts to terminate gender-based violence, close the gender wage gap and promote equal gender participation in political decision-making.
With the ongoing problem of unequal payment between the genders, The EU has taken action towards resolving the issues at hand. In Member States, it is required to present an income report which is later sent to the European Works Council to calculate if the person is receiving the right payment with their qualifications. Civil and human rights organisations, such as CoE, are working towards raising awareness in the workplace and have partnerships with trade unions across the EU to shine a light on the problem of unequal payment. The European Commission has established a roadmap for a strategy which is aimed to adjust the framework of policies for the guardians with children to make it easier for them to balance work and home lifestyle.
One of the main founding values of the EU, seen in the Treaty of Rome’s Article 119, focused on the idea of equal gender wages and has been upheld since then. The European Commission has established a Gender Equality Strategy which includes efforts to terminate gender-based violence, close the gender wage gap and promote equal gender participation in political decision-making.
THE MEMBER STATES' ACTION On a regional level, most of The Member States have their own regulations to end the unemployment gap. The EU has shared competence with its Member States in the field of employment, but only have control in the areas where the EU has not acted before. Countries in the EU tirelessly operate to make it easier for working parents to balance life. For instance, Sweden has many facilities where parents may leave their children while working which are subsidized by municipal taxes and the parents. Another way women are integrated into the workforce is Germany’s Vocational reintegration programme which focuses on helping mothers get back into the workforce after being out for a long period of time. In terms of social awareness, November 10th is the EU’s Equal Pay Day, which was started in Belgium. Years later, 11 Member States followed: where Austria, Cyprus, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, The Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Slovakia, and Portugal all celebrate the day to spread awareness about unequal wages in the EU. |
WHAT NOW?
With the Gender Employment Gap declining (12.2% in 2012 to 11.5% in 2017), it is crucial for the EU to reach the goal of eliminating it completely. Aside from the steps that the EU and the stakeholders have taken in the past, how can the EU ensure that women are not discriminated against in the workforce and are treated fairly? How can the EU ensure that all mothers are paid fairly during the maternal leave and ensure that their children have the right environment for their wellbeing? What steps can the Member States take to make sure that women are able to enter the workforce and claim their place for success?
FURTHER LINKS
Essential Engagement
Further Links
- Read this interesting article to gain a general insight on the problem of gender employment gap
- Watch this video by Vox explaining the misconceptions and trends of the gender employment gap
- Watch this small video about the Member States and their gender wage gap
- Look at this infographic by Eurostat that showcases the wage gap throughout the Member States
Further Links
- Take a look at this Netflix “Explained” episode about ‘Why women are paid less”
- Read this interesting article about how women are suing the biggest companies for unequal pay
- Read this article by BBC to gain a perspective on how to monitor equal payment for all genders
- Check out this comedic bit by John Oliver to see a diverse perspective on the issue