Kadar govorimo o enakosti spolov, govorimo o enakih pravicah moških in žensk, enaki obravnavi, odgovornostih, priložnostih ter ekonomskih in družbenih dosežkih. Enakost spolov je dosežena, ko imajo moški in ženske enake pravice, odgovornosti in priložnosti na vseh družbenih področjih ter ko so enako cenjeni različni interesi, potrebe in prioritete moških in žensk.
Enakost spolov je ena od temeljnih vrednot v EU, temeljna pravica, nujni element gospodarske rasti in ključno načelo evropskega stebra socialnih pravic. S tega vidika je EU v zadnjih desetletjih dosegla precejšen napredek na področju enakosti med spoloma. Toda kljub temu napredku so v drugem desetletju enaindvajsetega stoletja še vedno prisotne neenakosti med spoloma na trgu dela, pri zaposlovanju ter na področju kakovosti življenja in dela. Enakost spolov ostaja pomembna politična prednostna naloga v okviru programa dela Evropske komisije, katerega cilj je pripraviti novo evropsko strategijo za enakost spolov ter izboljšati leta 2021 doseženi indeks enakosti spolov, ki je v EU znašal 68,0.
Komisija je 5. marca 2020 objavila novo strategijo za enakost spolov za obdobje 2020–2025. Glavne teme, ki jih naslavlja strategija, so nasilje nad ženskami, preglednost plačil in razlika v plačah med spoloma, uravnotežena zastopanost spolov v upravnih odborih ter usklajevanje poklicnega in zasebnega življenja. Sledi tudi viziji Evrope, „kjer se ženske in moški svobodno odločajo o svojem življenju; kjer imajo enake možnosti za uspeh ter enake možnosti za udeležbo in vodenje v evropski družbi“. Kot enega prvih rezultatov strategije je Komisija 4. marca 2021 predstavila predlog o zavezujočih ukrepih za preglednost plač.
Na pobudo Odbora za pravice žensk in enakost spolov (FEMM) je od 25. do 28. oktobra 2021 v Evropskem parlamentu potekal drugi evropski teden enakosti spolov. Parlamentarni odbori so gostili razprave o številnih vprašanjih, povezanih z enakostjo spolov. V tem tednu je Evropski inštitut za enakost spolov (EIGE) objavil izsledke Indeksa enakosti spolov 2021, s posebnim poudarkom na zdravju in vplivu spola na zdravje žensk in moških ter dostopu do zdravstvenih storitev.
Pandemija covida-19 močno vpliva na zdravje, dobro počutje, kakovost življenja, trg dela in gospodarstvo. Večstransko vpliva tudi na enakost med spoloma na delovnem mestu in doma. Spodbujanje enakosti med spoloma je v skladu s strategijo za enakost spolov v središču političnega odziva EU.
Delo Eurofounda na področju enakosti spolov je povezano s prednostno nalogo Komisije za obdobje 2019–2024 o gospodarstvu za ljudi. Eurofound je pred kratkim prispeval k pobudi EU o usklajevanju poklicnega in zasebnega življenja ter o preglednosti plač.
Two out of three net new jobs in the EU over the last two decades have been taken up by women. While the gender employment gap has narrowed in recent decades, women continue to participate less than men in the labour market.
The gender pay gap means that women, on average, earn 14.1% less per hour than men. The pay gap has reduced in around two-thirds of Member States.
Eurofound adopts a gender mainstreaming approach systematically in its research. Where possible and relevant, research findings, including surveys and policy analyses, disaggregate data by gender. Other research projects provide specific analysis relevant to gender equality. The research covers a wider variety of topics from a gender perspective, such as pay and income, minimum wage, care, employment participation, leave, skills and training, work organisation, job quality, working time, work–life balance and social cohesion and convergence, including in pan-European surveys and regular reporting at national level.
Listen to or watch a recording of our International Women's Day 2023 podcast on the work–life challenges of women and men.
The COVID-19 pandemic risks rolling back years of progress on gender equality. Eurofound’s e-survey Living, working and COVID-19 offers an insight into the impact of the pandemic on the lives of EU citizens. Conducted in five rounds during 2020, 2021 and 2022, it allows for comparison of the challenges that arose during the different stages of living through the pandemic. Findings show that COVID-19 has impacted gender equality at home. The pandemic has significantly increased the number of teleworkers in Europe, and women were more likely to work from home during the pandemic than men. Furthermore, the closure of schools and childcare facilities during confinement disproportionately impacted women, who generally assumed greater domestic and care responsibilities.
The findings also reveal a general deterioration of work–life balance among workers in the EU with more women and men reporting work–life conflicts, but women who have to telework and care for small children appear to be struggling most. The percentage of women reporting difficulties was higher in April 2020 than in previous Eurofound surveys. Women are also reporting greater financial strain than men during the pandemic. The COVID-19 survey questionnaire drew on questions used in Eurofound’s pan-European surveys, the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) and the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS).
Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database collates and maps the national-level policy responses across Europe to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine and rising inflation. Some of these measures have a gender dimension.
Eurofound research explores the characteristics and consequences of gender gaps in labour market participation, as well as policies and measures aimed at fostering female labour market participation. Women’s employment and participation rates are still lower than those of men in almost all EU Member States. Eurofound has estimated the cost of this gender employment gap in the EU at more than €320 billion in 2018. Although the cost of the gap is falling, the economic loss is still significantly high. Research also looks at upward convergence in the gender employment gap, assessing which are the best and worst-performing Member States in this regard.
The European Jobs Monitor (EJM) tracks structural change in European labour markets in terms of occupation and sector, giving a qualitative assessment of these shifts using various proxies of job quality. This monitoring includes analysis of patterns of employment change by gender and by job-wage quintile, as well as labour market segregation.
Eurofound research covers a range of topics linking wages and gender, such as variable pay, performance-related pay, low pay and the gender pay gap. Survey research looks at earnings as one of seven indicators of job quality for men and women at work. On minimum wages, an annual review monitors the level of minimum wages across Europe, also measuring coverage rates of workers by gender in 2019 and the link with the gender pay gap. Furthermore, the EJM analyses the extent to which different jobs, occupations and sectors contribute to the gender pay gap. This will be useful for the interpretation of the Commission’s social scoreboard’s indicator on the gender pay gap and for the implementation of the gender-equality principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Eurofound reviewed the first experiences of countries with gender pay transparency measures in 2018. At the Commission’s request, Eurofound has initiated an ad hoc study on measures to promote gender pay transparency in companies, looking at how much they cost and whether companies can see any opportunities. This will feed into the Commission’s impact assessment.
Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) covers a range of aspects of working conditions from a gender perspective. In recent questionnaires, gender mainstreaming has been an important topic. The survey monitors occupational, sectoral, time and pay gaps, as well as working time patterns, work–life balance, violence and harassment at work, and health and well-being, including what all this means for sustainable work. The European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) 2021 analysed the multiple dimensions of job quality, comparing the situation in the Member States also by gender.
EWCS analysis will help to inform policies aimed at closing gender gaps in the area of job and employment quality. The knowledge provided is relevant for the principle of gender equality and initiatives to improve work–life balance, as well as those included in the context of the European Pillar of Social Rights and implementation of the European Gender Equality Strategy.
Research also looks at the experience of women in management roles and how their underrepresentation in management can be addressed. It analyses the job quality of both male and female managers, and the impact a management job has on personal life.
Other research analyses the level of female entrepreneurship in Europe and the market gap when it comes to investing in women-led enterprises. It examines the financial hurdles facing female entrepreneurs and the use of private or public funds to invest in this group. In addition, it investigates the prevalence of public finance tools and public support schemes that effectively remove barriers and enable women to become competent entrepreneurs.
The higher participation of women in the labour market has prompted changes in the way European social partner organisations tackle gender issues. Research has also assessed the role of the EU social partners in advancing gender equality, exploring actions taken within the different national frameworks of industrial relations and against the ranking of Member States on EIGE’s Gender Equality Index.
Moreover, Eurofound has worked on a joint project with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to look at working conditions in a global perspective. It expands on gender gaps across the world (1.2 billion workers) and provides evidence on the gendered differences in job quality and on higher risk of women to be exposed to sexual violence; the latter is also identified in EWCS 2015.
The European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) also covers the gender dimension, in relation to issues such as employment, income, risk of poverty, household composition and well-being, education, family and care responsibilities, health and work–life balance.
Both the EWCS and EQLS data contribute to the policy debate on reconciliation issues and work–life balance for men and women. The EQLS looks at the difference between men and women in their levels of life satisfaction or happiness. The gendered division of unpaid work, in relation to for example childcare or caring for elderly relatives, is also covered in the EQLS.
Research on patterns of social mobility for men and women across the EU looks at barriers to equal opportunities and policies to promote it. It highlights the increasingly important gendered patterns of social mobility in different countries.
Eurofound cooperates with the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) on gender-related topics. Eurofound is a key data provider for EIGE’s Gender Equality Index and is involved in the working group for this indicator. Following on for a number of collaborations in 2022, other areas for cooperation between the two Agencies in 2023 include research related to the impact of the transition to a carbon neutral economy, as well as that on care, the working life of essential workers, the impact of the war against Ukraine from a gender perspective and in relation to integration of refugees, the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on women and gender equality, and platform work.
Gender equality is a core value of the EU, a fundamental right, a critical component of economic growth and a key principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights. In this light, the EU has been making progress in the gender equality field over the past decades, albeit at a slow pace. The Gender Equality Index score for the EU in 2023 is 70.2 points out of 100, surpassing 70 points for the first time. This is an improvement of 1.6 points since the 2022 edition and the highest year-on-year increase since 2013. Two decades into the 21st century, gender inequalities persist in many areas, including in employment, working conditions and quality of life. As part of the European Commission’s work programme, gender equality remains an important policy priority, with the goal being to roll out the European Gender Equality Strategy.
On 5 March 2020, the Commission launched a new Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025. The Strategy’s main topics are: violence against women; pay transparency and the gender pay gap; gender balance on company boards; and work–life balance. It is also guided by the vision of ‘a Europe where women and men are free to pursue their chosen path in life, where they have equal opportunities to thrive, and where they can equally participate in and lead our European society’. As one of the first deliverables of the Strategy, the Commission presented a proposal for a pay transparency directive on 4 March 2021, which was backed by the European Parliament on 5 April 2022. The Parliament, EU Council and Commission reached a provisional agreement on the directive on 30 November 2022. The Council adopted the directive on 24 April 2023.
In October 2023, the European Parliament holds its fourth European Gender Equality Week, at the initiative of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM). During the week, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) also publishes the findings of its Gender Equality Index 2023.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had vast implications on health, well-being, quality of life, the labour market and the economy. It has also had a multifaceted impact on gender equality at work and at home. Promoting gender equality is at the heart of the EU policy response to the crisis, in line with the Gender Equality Strategy.
Eurofound’s work on gender equality links in with the Commission’s 2019–2024 priorities on an economy that works for people and a new push for European democracy. Eurofound has contributed in the recent past to the EU initiative on work–life balance and on the pay transparency initiative.
Eurofound v svojih raziskavah uporablja pristop upoštevanja vidika spola. Če je mogoče in upoštevno, so podatki v raziskavah, vključno z anketami in analizami politik, razčlenjeni po spolu. Drugi raziskovalni projekti vsebujejo posebne analize v zvezi z enakostjo spolov. Raziskave obsegajo širok nabor tematik z vidika spola, kot so plače in dohodki, minimalne plače, oskrba, udeležba pri delu, dopust, znanje in spretnosti ter usposabljanje, organizacija dela, kakovost delovnih mest, delovni čas, usklajevanje poklicnega in zasebnega življenja ter navzgor usmerjena konvergenca, vključno z vseevropskimi anketami in rednim poročanjem na nacionalni ravni.
Pandemija covida-19 grozi, da bo izničila več let programov za enakost spolov. Eurofoundova e-anketa Življenje, delo in covid-19 omogoča vpogled v učinke pandemije na življenje državljanov EU. Anketa, ki se je izvajala v več krogih v letih 2020 in 2021, primerja izzive, ki so nastali v različnih fazah življenja med pandemijo. Rezultati so pokazali, da covid-19 vpliva na enakost spolov doma. Med pandemijo se je v Evropi močno povečalo število ljudi, ki delajo od doma, zlasti žensk. Zapiranje šol in vrtcev med karanteno je nesorazmerno vplivalo na ženske, ki po navadi prevzamejo večji del gospodinjskega dela in skrbi za otroke.
Rezultati so pokazali tudi, da se je med delavci v EU na splošno poslabšalo usklajevanje poklicnega in zasebnega življenja. O navzkrižjih pri usklajevanju poklicnega in zasebnega življenja je poročalo več žensk kakor moških, videti pa je, da so imele največje težave ženske, ki so morale delati od doma in skrbeti za majhne otroke. Ženske so poročale tudi o večji finančni obremenitvi med pandemijo kakor moški. E-anketni vprašalnik o covidu-19 je temeljil na vprašanjih, uporabljenih v vseevropskih anketah Eurofounda, evropski raziskavi o kakovosti življenja in evropski raziskavi o podjetjih.
Eurofound je maja 2020 objavil COVID-19 EU PolicyWatch, podatkovno zbirko, ki primerja in vzporeja politične odzive evropskih držav med pandemijo. Nekateri izmed teh ukrepov zajemajo tudi razsežnost spolov.
Eurofoundova raziskava obravnava značilnosti in posledice razlik med spoloma pri udeležbi na trgu dela ter politike in ukrepe za spodbujanje udeležbe žensk na trgu dela. Stopnje zaposlenosti in udeležbe žensk so v skoraj vseh državah članicah EU še vedno nižje od zadevnih stopenj za moške. Eurofound ocenjuje, da so bili leta 2018 letni stroški te razlike v zaposlenosti med spoloma v EU višji od 320 milijard EUR. Čeprav se stroški te razlike zmanjšujejo, je gospodarska izguba še vedno zelo visoka. Raziskave obravnavajo tudi navzgor usmerjeno konvergenco razlike v zaposlenosti med spoloma ter ocenjujejo, katere države so na tem področju najboljše in katere najslabše.
Evropski center za spremljanje delovnih mest (EJM) zasleduje strukturne spremembe na evropskih trgih dela z vidika poklica in sektorja ter ocenjuje kakovost teh premikov z različnimi približki kakovosti delovnih mest. To spremljanje obsega analizo vzorcev sprememb zaposlovanja po spolu in glede na delovna mesta/dohodkovni kvintil ter segregacijo trga dela.
Raziskave Eurofounda obsegajo številna vprašanja, ki povezujejo plače in spol, kot so spremenljiva plača, izplačilo po uspešnosti, nizka plača in razlika v plačah med spoloma. Z anketami se dohodek raziskuje kot eden od sedmih kazalnikov kakovosti delovnih mest za zaposlene moške in ženske. Z letnim pregledom se spremlja višina minimalnih plač po Evropi, meri pa se tudi pokritost delavcev po spolu leta 2019 in povezavo z razliko v plačah po spolu. Evropski center za spremljanje delovnih mest analizira tudi, koliko različna delovna mesta, zaposlitve in sektorji prispevajo k razliki v plačah po spolu. Komisiji bo to pomagalo pri razlagi pregleda socialnih kazalnikov razlike v plačah med spoloma in pri izvajanju načela enakosti spolov iz evropskega stebra socialnih pravic .
Eurofound je leta 2018 pregledal prve izkušnje držav z ukrepi za preglednost plač. Na zahtevo Komisije je začel izvajati študijo o ukrepih za spodbujanje preglednosti plač med spoloma v podjetjih. Preverjal je njihove stroške in ugotavljal, ali podjetja vidijo priložnosti. Te informacije bodo vključene v oceno učinka, ki jo bo pripravila Komisija.
Eurofoundova evropska raziskava o delovnih razmerah (EWCS) pokriva številne vidike delovnih razmer z vidika spola. V nedavnih vprašalnikih je vključevanje načela enakosti spolov pomembna tema. Raziskava spremlja razlike v zaposlovanju, po sektorjih, času in plačah ter vzorce delovnega časa, usklajevanje poklicnega in zasebnega življenja, nasilje in nadlegovanje na delovnem mestu, zdravje in dobro počutje ter pomen vsega tega za trajnostno delo.
Analiza EWCS bo pomagala pridobiti podatke za politike, namenjene zmanjševanju razlik med spoloma na področju kakovosti delovnih mest in zaposlovanja. Pridobljeno znanje je pomembno za načelo enakosti spolov in pobude za boljše usklajevanje poklicnega in zasebnega življenja ter v evropskem stebru socialnih pravic.
Predmet raziskave so tudi izkušnje žensk v vodstvenih vlogah ter kako povečati njihovo zastopanost v teh vlogah. Preučuje se kakovost delovnih mest za moške in ženske vodstvene delavce ter vplivi zaposlitev na vodstvenih delovnih mestih na osebno življenje.
Z drugo raziskavo se analizirajo stopnja podjetništva med ženskami v Evropi in tržne vrzeli na področju vlaganja v podjetja, ki jih vodijo ženske. Preučene so finančne ovire, s katerimi se srečujejo podjetnice, ter uporaba zasebnih ali javnih sredstev za vlaganje v to skupino. Preučuje se tudi uporaba javnih finančnih orodij in shem državne pomoči, ki učinkovito odpravljajo ovire in omogočajo ženskam, da postanejo konkurenčne v podjetništvu.
Višja udeležba žensk na trgu dela je spremenila način, na katerega evropske organizacije socialnih partnerjev rešujejo vprašanja enakosti spolov. Z raziskavo so bili tudi ocenjeni vloga socialnih partnerjev EU pri pospeševanju enakosti spolov, in ukrepi, sprejeti v različnih nacionalnih okvirih odnosov med delodajalci in delojemalci glede na razvrščenost držav članic po indeksu enakosti spolov Evropskega inštituta za enakost spolov.
Eurofound je sodeloval v skupnem projektu z Mednarodno organizacijo dela (MOD), kjer so proučevali delovne pogoje v svetovnem merilu. Raziskoval je razlike med spoloma po vsem svetu (1,2 milijarde delavcev) in pridobil podatke o razlikah v kakovosti delovnih mest med spoloma ter o višjem tveganju žensk za izpostavljenost spolnemu nasilju, kar je bilo ugotovljeno tudi v EWCS 2015.
Evropska raziskava o kakovosti življenja (EQLS) zajema tudi razsežnost spolov v zvezi z vprašanji, kot so zaposlovanje, dohodek, tveganje revščine, sestava gospodinjstev in dobro počutje, izobraževanje, družinske obveznosti in obveznosti oskrbe, zdravje ter usklajevanje poklicnega in zasebnega življenja.
Podatki iz EWCS in EQLS prispevajo k politični razpravi o usklajevanju poklicnega in zasebnega življenja za moške in ženske. EQLS raziskuje razlike med stopnjo zadovoljstva z življenjem ali srečo moških in žensk. Raziskuje tudi razdelitev neplačanega dela med spoloma, na primer za skrb za otroke ali starejše družinske člane.
Raziskava vzorcev socialne mobilnosti moških in žensk po EU obravnava ovire za enake možnosti ter politike za spodbujanje socialne mobilnosti. Izpostavila je vse pomembnejše vzorce socialne mobilnosti po spolih v različnih državah.
Eurofound pri vsebinah, ki obravnavajo spol, sodeluje z Evropskim inštitutom za enakost spolov. Eurofound je glavni ponudnik podatkov za indeks enakosti spolov Evropskega inštituta za enakost spolov in sodeluje v delovni skupini za ta kazalnik. Agenciji sta sodelovali pri skupnem projektu o navzgor usmerjeni konvergenci na različnih področjih indeksa enakosti spolov. Druga področja sodelovanja obsegajo socialno-ekonomske posledice covida-19 za ženske in enakost spolov, tematsko analizo Evropskega centra za spremljanje delovnih mest (EJM) o spolu in starosti ter raziskave o delu prek platform.
Research continues in this topic on a variety of themes, which are outlined below with links to forthcoming titles.
