Brussels, 14/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - As we announced, the informal meeting of EU gender equality and family affairs ministers will take place on 15-16 May in Bad Pyrmont, and will be chaired by Ursula von der Leyen (see EUROPE 9425). The theme of the meeting will be “encouragement of equal opportunities for men and women in employment and family social work”. The meeting will discuss the following four issues relating to this general topic, as set out by the German presidency:
(1) Changing role models - new challenges for men: the tradition role models of the woman as wife and non-working mother, and the man as family breadwinner, have been overtaken. Finding a balance between work and family life has become key for men too. Changes in society show, among other things, that a growing number of men and women do not have children and that they are faced with a new challenge: that of caring for their partner or aged parents. Thus, the question “Who cares?” has become a major issue in politics. The European Women's Lobby (EWL) has, indeed, made it a campaign focus, as set out in its open letter to President José Manuel Barroso (see related article).
Ministers will discuss the following questions: (1) What form would a modern gender equality policy have, which actively promotes the changing roles of men and women? (2) What can sustainable family policy do in order to consider the wishes and challenges of each? (3) What opportunities do positive incentives for sharing parental leave between partners offer? (4) What requirements have to be met to adequately support the extension of role models, and so that young men and women can meet their wish to have children and a family at the same time as pursuing their careers?
(2) Strategic alliances with the economy: given the demographic changes, measures to find a better work-family life balance, and thus offer women improved career opportunities, have become very important. A world of work adapted to the needs of family life and the status of women is key to a sustainable family and equal opportunities policy, and contributes to the competitiveness of the European economy. Strategic alliances of politics, industry and trade unions would seem to be a way to promote family-friendly and gender equality measures. Voluntary alliances have developed into “a successful model in German and other European countries,” according to the German presidency. Ministers will consider the following questions: (1) How can we encourage companies to conclude sustainable alliances that promote more family-friendly policies and equal opportunities? (2) What does equal involvement of women and men in family responsibilities and child-caring contribute to achieving equal pay?
(3) Women and fathers in management positions: there are several possible explanations for the, generally very low, percentage of women in management positions, and it is especially women with children who feel their promotion prospects to be restricted in a number of European countries. At issue is the “glass ceiling” which stops women being promoted to top executive levels.
Ministers, then, will try to respond to the following questions: (1) How can the potential of highly qualified men and women who devote their time to both family and job be used more efficiently? (2) What does the “glass ceiling” denying women access to the top executive level consist of? (3) What can European countries learn from each other in order to improve the current situation?
(4) Supporting migrant women and children - participation in society and on the labour market: to make effective improvements in the personal and professional situation of these migrant women and girls (the term “migration”, the presidency stresses, comprises very diverse life realities and plans) and to have gender equality accepted as a fundamental value in the communities, female migrants' involvement in politics and society must be enhanced, and equal opportunities must be encouraged in working life. This will have a direct and positive impact on the integration of migrant children, the presidency feels.
In this context, the ministers will discuss the following questions: (1) What form should a gender-sensitive and target group specific orientation of policies have that prevents multi-discrimination against female migrants? (2) Within intercultural dialogue, how can we broach the issue of gender roles and cope with diverse challenges related to the integration of women and men? (3) How can we manage migration as a family project and how can family life be harnessed for integration? (4) Which best practice models can be found in European countries? (5) What opportunities result from cooperation with the country of origin, especially when implementing the decisions of the Euromed ministerial conference on equal opportunities in December 2006? (gb)