EU presents plan to promote gender equality

The European Commission plans to set up a €50m gender institute and review all EU gender equality laws as part of a major drive to promote equality of the sexes across the 25-nation bloc, officials said today.

The EU executive in Brussels presented a four-year plan to ensure gender equality is enshrined in all EU policies, tackle the pay gap between men and women and eliminate violence against women and trafficking.

“Women in the workplace are still not getting a fair deal, particularly in the workplace. One in three women is confined to part time work,” said EU Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla.

The Commission said it wanted to use educational programmes to increase awareness of gender equality in schools and eradicate gender stereotypes, and encourage promotion of women into senior positions.

It also said that where possible, it would promote flexible working arrangements so that both men and women were able to stay on the labour market when bringing up children.

“There are problems how to reconcile work and career for couples who have children,” Spidla said.