Coiste Eacnamaíoch agus Sóisialta na hEorpa
Equal pay for men and women or for work of equal value is one of the fundamental rights and principles of the EU, but on average women are still paid 14% less per hour than men, with pay differences present in all sectors and widening with age. Although welcomed as a much-needed step to close the gender pay gap, the Commission's proposal on pay transparency is receiving a mixed response, an EESC hearing found.
The EESC NAT Section and its Sustainable Development Observatory are marking International Women Day 2021 by taking part in the #IWD2021 action to celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality.
EESC debate takes stock and discusses steps to take
Despite the general progress on gender equality, at this pace it will take more than a century for women to become equal to men in Europe, says the EESC
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has urged the European Union and its Member States to put gender equality at the top of their political agenda amid concerns that recent attacks on women's rights in Europe might seriously compromise progress towards equality between men and women.
Europe loses EUR 370 billion a year due to the gender employment gap. What's more, it is statistically proven that companies with more gender-diverse management boards produce better results. So, why might it take another 217 years to close the economic gender gap at global level, as estimated by the World Economic Forum? On 17 December, high-level speakers from the worlds of business, politics and NGOs came together with members of the Employers' Group to discuss how to leverage the immense potential that women could bring to the European economy.
It needs different and holistic approaches to address gender inequality, says the EESC
The digital gender gap is a consequence of discrimination against women, which already starts in early childhood, the EESC points out. In its exploratory opinion on the digital gender gap, drafted at the European Parliament's request, the EESC suggests a multi-level approach and calls for holistic policies addressing different sources of inequality.
