Gender equality is a prerequisite to
the realisation of a fairer and more equal world which respects and
values the rights of everyone by offering equal opportunities.
Feminism, which needs to be voiced by an inclusive movement, continues
to be as actual and as ever. Equal rights and opportunities, which are
supposed to be the fundaments of our society, still haven’t been
realised for half of the population. Inequalities in opportunities,
participation, and socio-economic situation have endured, and are
likely to keep doing so if we leave it to the market. As socialists we
realise that the social Europe we’re building will be far from finished
as long as gender inequality and gender based role patterns persist.
We will not accept that twenty percent
of the European women can expect to face violence against her in her
own house, that every woman will come across some kind of sexual
harassment, that women in European countries are still denied the right
to decide whether or not to have a child, or that over 600.000 women
are trafficked across international borders on an annual basis to serve
as sex slaves.
Abortion must be legalised everywhere to
assure a safe and affordable choice for women. Domestic violence must
become a priority of policy-makers and centres close to the women must
be established where they are not present.
The situation of women on the labour
market is extremely worrying, even more so since financial independence
is essential in the empowerment of women. In every single European
country women are still more likely to be and remain unemployed, to
work part time, to hold jobs below their skill level, and to be paid
less than their male colleagues –a direct violation of European law.
The
two most important reasons for the inequality on the labour market are
discrimination and the gender based role patterns. Men must take up
their part of the work in the household and affordable childcare must
be provided for everyone to enable women and men to combine family and
work. Everywhere, visible and accessible institutions must be
established where women can file complaints about discrimination
against them on the grounds of their sex.
In a truly social Europe, an active
gender policy –assisted by more accurate legislation- will assure the
social, economic and reproductive rights of woman. The interests,
needs, and priorities of both women and men must be recognised to
create a gender neutral system that is no longer based on the male
standard. Gender based role patterns must be fought, liberating both
women and men from society’s unnatural demands.
Janna Besamusca
(Former ECOSY Feminist Network Coordinator)
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