Women call for equality in all things

Date: 13/03/1997

By Simon Coss

WOMEN's rights groups are calling for a clause on sex equality to be written into the revised Maastricht Treaty in the wake of a European Commission report last week showing women still earn an average of 20&percent; less than their male counterparts.

“The negligence demonstrated by most politicians regarding the problem of systematic discrimination against women could lead to a rejection of the process of European integration. Europe cannot be created without women,” said Gertrud Wartenburg, of the European Women's Lobby, as her organisation unveiled its demands.

The Commission's annual report on equality between the sexes highlights the lack of progress made on wage parity for men and women 40 years after the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' was enshrined in the EU's founding Treaty of Rome.

The report reveals that between 20 and 40&percent; of full-time women workers in the Union's 15 member states are officially registered as low-paid. It also finds that over 70&percent; of the jobs held by women are in the services sector, often on the lowest grades.

At the other end of the scale, fewer than 30&percent; of small and medium-sized companies in Europe are run by women and they are responsible for just a third of new business start-ups.

The report also analyses women's progress in climbing the careers ladder in a wide range of areas, including European politics, where men still outnumber women heavily.

Launching the report, Social Affairs Commissioner Pádraig Flynn called on EU member states to introduce a policy of so-called 'mainstreaming' for gender equality matters.

Basically, this means considering equal opportunities at all levels and in all areas of policy-making, rather than marginalising the issue as an 'optional extra'.