50 years gender equality legislation

In 2007, the European Year on Equal Opportunities for All, gaps between women and men persist in most categories of human political, economic, social and cultural activity. The gaps between women and men in inter alia pay, pensions, working time, time spent caring for others, poverty, persist because the economy, the labour market and society still reflect stereotypical roles and an unequal division of resources and power between women and men. These gaps need to be closed and women’s life experiences need to be integrated if Europe is to deliver its promises in terms of equality and human rights.
The European Women’s Lobby stresses that strong positive actions are required, including consultations with women’s organisations, both at the EU and at national level, by involving them in the evaluations of employment and social policies, and thus establishing a formal process that supplements the social partners‘ efforts to eliminate inequalities between women and men in employment and society.