GENDER EQUALITY –
IRELAND AND THE EU
AN OVERVIEW 2008
By
Pauline Moreau
Gender Equality Division
TOPICS TODAY

A Quiz

A little history

Gender Equality and the EU

Gender Equality in Ireland
THE QUIZ

Thirty years after the equality
legislation was put in place, why
are we still addressing Gender
Equality in Ireland?

Roughly half our citizens are
women, so what percentage of
politicians in the Dáil/Seanad are
women?
THE QUIZ


Women make up about 45 per cent of
our work force, so what percentage
of major private enterprises
(Ireland’s Top 500) are headed by a
woman?
Women make up 67 per cent of all
general service grades in the Civil
Service, so what is the percentage of
women in the A/Sec to Sec Gen
grades taken together?
A LITTLE HISTORY

1971 : Commission on the Status of Women
favoured, among other issues



Equal pay
Women to have choice to remain in work after
marriage
1973 : Ireland joined the EEC


Equality between women and men enshrined in
the Treaty of Rome
Ireland required to transpose EEC Equality
Legislation including, over time




Right to remain in the work place upon marriage
Equal pay
Maternity leave
Maternity protection
A LITTLE HISTORY


Ireland’s socio-economic structures
changed significantly – more women at
work, population better educated,
modern economy emerged…
In 1991, the Second Commission on
the Status of Women recommended



National minimum wage
Need for childcare policy
Women’s increased participation in public life
EUROPEAN UNION AND GENDER


Mid–term of 1994 -1999 Structural Funds
Programme - Commission recommended
increased investment in Childcare in Ireland to
support women at work
Lisbon Strategy 2000:



Create the most competitive and dynamic knowledge
based economy capable of sustaining economic growth
with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion
Increase female labour market participation for
economic growth and to support aging population –
pensions
Invest in people and build an active welfare state
EUROPEAN UNION AND GENDER

2006 Spring European Council



Acknowledged that gender equality
policies are vital to economic growth,
prosperity and competitiveness
…It is time to make a firm commitment at
European level to implement policies to
promote women’s employment and to
ensure a better work life balance
Approved the European Gender Pact.
EUROPEAN GENDER PACT

Encourage actions by MS and at Union
level under the headings:



Measures to close gender gaps and combat
gender stereotypes in the labour market
Measures to promote a better work life
balance for all
Measures to reinforce governance through
gender mainstreaming and better
monitoring
EUROPEAN GENDER PACT

New EU policy documents and draft
regulations in relation to




Enhanced maternity protection (Ireland
already in a better situation)
Better leave entitlements – parental leave;
shared leave; etc (Economic issues for
Ireland if these were to be paid leaves;
issues for private sector)
Enhanced initiatives on gender
mainstreaming and gender budgeting
Disaggregated statistics is a first step
NATIONAL POLICY ON GENDER



Implementation of Legislation – Equality
Authority and Tribunal
National Women’s Strategy 2007 – 2016
Programme of Positive Actions – Equality
for Women Measure

Gender Mainstreaming

International Commitments
NATIONAL WOMEN’S STRATEGY
2007 - 2016

A ten year “All of Government” Strategy

Launched by the Taoiseach in April 2007

Funding of €58 million promised under NDP

20 Key objectives and more than 200
actions to achieve
An Ireland where all women enjoy equality with
men and can achieve their full potential while
enjoying a safe and fulfilling life
NATIONAL WOMEN’S STRATEGY
KEY THEMES – THE THREE “E”s
Equalising
Socio
Economic
Opportunity
For Women
WOMEN
IN
IRELAND
Ensuring
Women’s
Well being
Engaging
Women as
Equal and
Active
Citizens
NWS - THEME 1

EQUALISING SOCIO-ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY (1)

Work




Increasing nos. of women at work
Tackling the gender pay gap
Advancing women’s careers
Education and women

Subject choices
NWS - THEME 1 (Contd.)

EQUALISING SOCIO-ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY (2)
 Women

Childcare/ disabled care/elder care
 Women




and caring
and poverty
Family wellbeing
Lone parents
Older age
Women’s pensions
NWS - THEME 2

ENSURING WOMEN’S WELLBEING

Work life balance



Leave entitlements
Sharing caring responsibilities
Long hours culture
Health/healthy lifestyles/sport
 Health and safety particularly for
pregnant and breast feeding women
 Bullying and harassment
 Violence against Women/ Trafficking

NWS - THEME 3
ENGAGING WOMEN AS EQUAL AND
ACTIVE CITIZENS
Women in decision making
 State Boards
 On boards of private companies
 Politics
Women in the Arts and Media
Gender Stereotypes
Women in developing countries
EQUALITY FOR WOMEN
MEASURE 2008 – 2013



Positive action programme to support
women
New phase building on past experience
when in 2000 – 2007 period there were
30,000 beneficiaries
€62 million pledged in NDP, including
€15.75 million ESF under HCIOP
EQUALITY FOR WOMEN
MEASURE 2008 – 2013

New EWM likely to have four distinct
strands
o
Returning to or preparing for work
o
Training for advancement in employment
o
Women and entrepreneurship
o
Women and decision-making
CHALLENGES AHEAD

Oversee implementation of National Women’s
Strategy

Implement Equality for Women Measure as
funding permits

Encourage greater gender mainstreaming


Work with implementers of National
Development Plan and NSRF and broader Civil
Service to ensure gender is appropriately
covered in these bodies of work and other
national policy documents
Continue to engage at EU and other multilateral levels
And the answers to the quiz are…
Thank you
-
PAULINE MOREAU
-
[email protected]
THE QUIZ

Thirty years after the equality
legislation was put in place, why
are we still addressing Gender
Equality in Ireland?

Roughly half our citizens are
women, so what percentage of
politicians in the Dáil/Seanad are
women? 13 pe cent
THE QUIZ


Women make up about 45 per cent of
our work force, so what percentage
of major private enterprises
(Ireland’s Top 500) are headed by a
woman?
5 per cent
Women make up 67 per cent of all
general service grades in the Civil
Service, so what is the percentage of
women in the A/Sec to Sec Gen
grades taken together?
12 per
cent