Women at Home, in the Workplace and Beyond ...

Cenetral European Alliance for Women’s Empowerment

International Conference in Honor of the

Hungarian and Polish EU Presidency

Budapest, 29 September, 2011

„Europe cannot afford to leave talent untapped –

empowering the role of women in busienss,

social and political life.”

Anna Jancewicz, CAWF

CAWF activities in the changing economic and political environment:

Gender issues - not much mentioned issuedue to the labor market organizationthough „Woman is the Negro of the World” household cires + full time job

Change together with the economy transition

CAWF’s activities: First aid: unemployed women Mid 2000 : the economic changes well rooted ; new ideas, observations,

phenomena

Background:

• Over thirty years of equality legislation in the European Union to promote gender equality.

• Gender Equality widely accepted as socially important goal but also viewed as:

not necessarily in line with economic goals a constraint or a cost a societal choice or preference

• Need to recognize the costs of non-equality and the positive economic contribution of gender equality

Gender equality - the Economic Case

• Gender equality can be viewed as … an investment and not a costa productive factor not a constraint

• Investment in social infrastructure to reap rewards of investment in human capital akin to investment in physical infrastructure

• These benefits of equality expand when we move beyond GDP as a measure of progress

quality of life, well being, child poverty, etc.

Barriers towards gender equality on the labor market : (1)structural (2)invisible (mental)

For over 30 years the EU has been taking numerous steps taken towards gender equality, corresponding to (set backs) :

the gender pay gap unequal care burden segregation in the labor market low representation in decision‐making.

:

Steps to break down structural barriers holding women back:

•Legislative measures •Last generation workplace innovations , specially by corporations:

policies to support women with young children, measures to help women navigate their careers (mentoring) formal sponsorship programs to ensure professional development

(trainings)

The next frontier is toppling invisible barriers:

mind-sets widely held by managers, men and women alike, that are rarely acknowledged but block the way:

Role models (home/workplace) Intellectual presdispositions

An Economic Case

• Gender Equality can be viewed as an investment

a productive factor (workforce) exploit full productive potential of the labor force ( another 50%) economic gains at a national or regional level

An economic case as a complement rather than replacement to the moral case.

Gender Equality and Growth

•Productive use of women’s investment in education and human capital:

Utilization of all human capital investments Access to full range of skills - address shortages Returns on personal investment in human capital

•Gender equality as contributor to GDP

higher productivity through avoidance of skill loss Lower taxes GDP growth

Gender Equality vs demographic challenges

• Sustainable populations positive relationship between female employment and fertility =

sustainable populations (advanced gender equality – higher birth rates) rising dependency ratios = ageing populations

• Integration of informal work & recognizing the value of unpaid and informal work: positive contribution of tax and social contributionsmodern fiscal systems that avoid perverse thresholds for job creation and/or household disincentives

Integration into employment more than covers

investment in social infrastructure.

  Participation Growth Fertility Fiscal

Macro

Employment rates,Utilization ofinvestment ineducation system

Investing in a productiveLabor force Reduced poverty/socialExclusion

Sustainablepopulations

Funding andsustainability

Meso

Utilization of HumanresourcesAccess to full range ofskills

skill diversityavoid skill loss

Work life balancepolicies supportingretention

Avoidance ofperverse taxthresholds

Micro

Return on personalinvestment in humancapitaldomestic division oflabor

Reduce social risksand personal costsof inequality

Individual rights,individualemploymentpreferences

Taxation without perversedisincentivesReceive benefits onwork doneRights for nonstandardWorkers

Gender equality - Economic Case

The Economic Case for Gender Equality Mark Smith, Equality Pays Conference - Brussels, 8 March 2011

Factors Leveraging Equality BenefitsMacropolicies to expand access to employmentgender-based Targetsgender mainstreaming obligationsMesoorganisational innovations (WLB, retention)progress in organisation hierarchiesMicroImproved education attainmentmore continuous participationshorter and fewer career breaks

Factors Limiting Equality Benefits

Macrolack of gender mainstreaming

economic policyshort-term crisis responses

public sector cutsMeso

segregation occupationswomen’s concentration in low-paid

workMicro

unequal division of care and unpaid work

limited support for careers

Gen

der e

qu

ality

B

en

efi

ts

The Economic Case for Gender Equality Mark Smith, Equality Pays Conference - Brussels, 8 March 2011

Factors Leveraging Equality BenefitsMacro (policies)policies to expand access to employmentgender-based Targetsgender mainstreaming obligationsMeso (emplyers)organizational innovations (WLB, retention)progress in organization hierarchiesMicro (individuals)Improved education attainmentmore continuous participationshorter and fewer career breaks

Factors Limiting Equality Benefits

Macrolack of gender mainstreaming

economic policyshort-term crisis responses

public sector cutsMeso

segregation occupationswomen’s concentration in low-paid

workMicro

unequal division of care and unpaid work

limited support for careers

Gen

der e

qu

ality

B

en

efi

ts

Drawing on the potential contribution from the whole population - risks:

Exit Strategies from the recession - a risk of reduced focus on gender equality goals and thus economic benefits

Risk of trying to turn back the clock on gender equality (labor market challenges)

Long-term challenges remain for European societies

• Making the case for :

Importance of gender mainstreaming policies Promoting coherent social and economic policy

Thank you for your attention !