European Council of the Liberal Professions
CEPLIS
The purpose of the European Council of the Liberal Professions (CEPLIS) is the study and promotion, both at the scientific and cultural levels, of all means, information and data related to the exercise and policies of the liberal professions.
ID: 638812928460-69
Lobbying Activity
Response to Gender equality in the EU
13 Feb 2020
CEPLIS supports the priorities announced by the President of the EC, to contribute to the development of a “European Union of Equality”; a transversal proposal consistent with the professional principles and values that define the professions. CEPLIS deems the 5 priorities included in the Strategic Commitment for Gender Equality 2016–19 are current, coinciding with the interest in addressing emerging issues such as gender cyber violence, the detection of gender biases in our own algorithms of AIs, as well as including the gender perspective in addressing the problem of climate change.
- Ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education. Include the gender perspective from mainstreaming in all formative steps. Insist on the prevention of gender violence, especially from educational systems, and develop programs that reinforce egalitarian values and affective-sexual education.
- Visibility and promotion of the work carried out by women, with a special concern for those professions of a scientific or technical nature, but also with the vocation of emphasizing the need for a fair assessment of those works carried out by women in professions that understand the social, pedagogical and / or sanitary. The battle is against stereotypes and gender biases, which affect the early perception of professions and, therefore, professional vocations. It is suggested to adopt guidelines to prevent and combat sexism in the media and in advertising through specific regulations.
- Reduction of the wage gap between men and women. Recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work; reward the remunerated, promoting decent work for care workers, and guarantee their representation and social dialogue, as recommended by the International Labor Organization (ILO). In line with SDG of the 2030 Agenda, which proposes recognizing and valuing unpaid care work "through the provision of public services, the provision of infrastructure and the formulation of social protection policies" (goal 5.4), we propose the creation of quality public employment in services for childcare, the elderly, home help and dependency care.
- These policies have an impact on the balance between professional and private life. We speak of a gender and social wage gap produced, in particular, by the obligations derived from motherhood and the difficulty of making professional and family life compatible for women. To address it, co-responsibility measures are suggested that make working hours more flexible; extension of paid, equal and non-transferable permits by birth or adoption; sufficient coverage of early childhood education from 0 to 3 years; support for one-parent families; and priority in access to social resources and beneficial tax treatment, as well as the strengthening of Public Social Services Systems from which to reinforce the right to provide them as a fundamental right.
- Policy and representation: Gender parity in political representation has important implications for policy design. The design of legislative measures to increase the percentage of women in the different governing bodies is suggested in order to ensure a balanced composition. Similarly, Member States must adopt legislative measures to ensure the increase in the percentage of women within the boards of directors. The incorporation of women within the international bodies in charge of the major climate change agreements is also suggested.
- Gender violence: Based on existing tools in the European framework, such as the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe, in force since 2014, we propose that the countries of the European Union adapt their regulations for compliance with the objective of including in them all forms of violence against women; promote support and repair services with similar standards of protection in the countries of the European Union. Likewise, to guarantee a comprehensive protection of women we ask for a commitment and investment in the CPT in this sensitive matter
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