1. EQUAL ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE
Economic independence is a prerequisite for enabling both women and men to exercise control over their lives and to make genuine choices. Earning one’s own living is the main way to achieve this and there has been progress in the participation of women on the labour market during the last decade, with the female employment rate rising to 62.5%. In the EU, women accounted for 9.8 million out of 12.5 million additional employment between 2000 and 2009. This increased participation has contributed to economic growth in the EU.
Getting more women on to the labour market helps counterbalance the effects of a shrinking working-age population, thereby reducing the strain on public finances and social protection systems, widening the human capital base and raising competitiveness. Measures to facilitate work-life balance can have a positive impact on fertility. To reach the Europe 2020 objective of a 75% employment rate for women and men, particular attention needs to be given to the labour market participation of older women, single parents, women with a disability, migrant women and women from ethnic minorities. The employment rates of these groups are still relatively low and remaining gender gaps need to be reduced in both quantitative and qualitative terms.
The impact of parenthood on labour market participation is still very different for women and men in the EU today because women continue to shoulder a disproportionate part of the responsibilities involved in running a family. Many women feel that they still have to choose between a career and their children. Current demographic trends also mean that women and men increasingly have to care for dependants other than children over indefinite periods of time. Member States which have put reconciliation policies in place are seeing high numbers of both women and men in work and relatively sustainable birth rates. The EU has made recent progress in improving the overall framework for a better work/life balance9. The Commission will strive for further progress in this area, paying particular attention to the availability of affordable high-quality care.
The proportion of female entrepreneurs, at 33% (30% in start-ups), is some way short of optimum and most women still do not consider entrepreneurship as a relevant career option. The implementation of the revised directive on selfemployed women should remove a major barrier to female entrepreneurship.
Young women should also benefit from the growing emphasis on entrepreneurship as one of the basic skills that schools should teach all pupils, as foreseen in the Youth on the Move flagship initiative.
The employment rate of migrant women is still low especially during the first three years in the host country. For this reason, there is a strong need to provide early support to migrant women and monitor the effect of such assistance. Making them more aware of their rights and facilitating their integration and access to education and health care is crucial.
The ways in which women and men experience poverty and social exclusion are still quite different. Women face a higher poverty risk, particularly lone parents and the elderly, when the pay gap becomes a ‘pension gap’. Barriers to employment are also reflected in higher inactivity rates and higher long-term unemployment rates. In addition, amongst disadvantaged groups (i.e. migrant workers, disabled, elderly) gender gaps tend to be much wider and cause many problems for women. Active ageing policies and specific measures in the pension sector are needed to ensure that women have adequate means when they retire.
Key actions
The Commission will:
- Support the promotion of gender equality in the implementation of all aspects and flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy, especially as regards definition and implementation of relevant national measures, through technical support as well as through the Structural Funds and other major funding programmes such as the 7th Framework Programme for Research. In the context of the Employment Guidelines and the evaluation of national employment policies, it will monitor closely the national policies adopted to improve gender equality in the labour market and boost the social inclusion of women.
- Promote female entrepreneurship and self-employment.
- Assess remaining gaps in entitlement to family-related leave, notably paternity leave and carers’ leave, and the options for addressing them. Social partners will be consulted on further measures, under Article 154 TFEU.
- Report on the Member States’ performance with regard to childcare facilities.
- Promote gender equality in all initiatives on immigration and integration of migrants.
