Equal opportunities
Council for Employment and Social Affairs adopts the European Pact for Gender Equality 2011-2020
March 2011
| Besides the Commission's Strategy for Equality between women and men 2010-2015 and the Women's Charter adopted by the European Commission on 5 March 2010, the Council of ministers for Employment and Social Affairs has adopted a new strategy to reach equality between women and men among Member States: the European Pact for Gender Equality for the period 2011-2020, which renews the first Pact adopted by the European Council in 2006. In the framework of the EU 2020 Strategy, the Pact stresses in particular the need to address barriers to women's participation to the labour market, in order to reach the employment target of 75% of women and men aged 20-64 (by eliminating all forms of discrimination, promoting better work-life balance...). This set of tools should ensure that a gender dimension is integrated in all policy areas both at national and European level, through the inclusion of a gender perspective in impact assessments of new policies. As recalled in the Pact, gender equality is a fundamental principle of the European Union and is essential in achieving the objectives set in terms of economic and social cohesion. |
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Read the Council's conclusions
CEC responds to the Commission's Roadmap to gender equality
October 2009
The European Commission adopted in 2006 a Roadmap for equaity between women and men, which outlines its strategy for improving gender equality for the period 2006-2010. Among the most important goals of the Commission, achieving equal economic independence for women and men by increasing employment rate for women up to 60% by 2010, eradicating gender-based violence, promoting an active role for women in decision-making. As the Roadmap expires in 2010, the Commission intends to present a follow-up strategy in 2010 and has therefore demanded social partners to express their views and comments, participating in the definition of new strategies and new measures.
CEC Managers responded on the last 15 October to this request, expressing its remarks about the results achieved by the Roadmap and suggesting new goals to be attained in the future and practical measures to be adopted in workplaces to further enhance women's contribution to work.
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2009-2010 Work programme on the Roadmap for equality between women and men (2006-2010)
July 2009
Constantly attentive to the European Commission's initiatives in the field of equality, CEC highlights the adoption on July, 31 of the "2009-2010 Work programme of the Roadmap for equality between women and men (2006-2010)" (the document exists only in English).
It is the third work programme since the adoption of the Roadmap for equality between women and men in March 2006.
The work programme presents actions carried in 2008 and 2009 and plans for 2010 in the view of realising the Commission's commitment towards equality between women and men along six priority areas:
- equal economic independence for women and men;
- reconciliation of private and professional life;
- equal representation in decision-making;
- eradication of all forms of gender-based violence;
- elimination of gender stereotypes;
- promotion of gender equality in external and development policies.
For further information visit the European Commission website on gender equality.