THE IMPORTANCE OF APPLYING THE GENDER EQUALITY PRINCIPLE AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15837/aijjs.v9i1.1865Keywords:
equal opportunities, gender equality, non-discrimination, workforce, institutions.Abstract
Gender equality, as a fundamental principle of the European Union, is included in a series of legislative and non-legislative documents recommending a balanced participation of both genders in the drafting and adoption of major decisions in the political and social fields, as a vital component in the development of a real democracy and a decisive factor of economic growth.
In terms of the degree of labour employment, gender equality is reflected in the need to promote equally women and men in the labour market, particularly in leading positions.
According to the European Commission’s report, women in European countries are still underrepresented in leadership positions, although there has been some general progress. Compared to the situation recorded ten years ago, at EU level, there was an increase by 16% of women involved in politics and appointed to ministerial posts.
The drafting of the first National Strategy on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men adopted by Government Decision no. 319/2006 approving the National Strategy on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for the period 2006-2009 and of the General Action Plan for Implementing the National Strategy on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men for the period 2006-2009.
This shows that women in Romania still experience gender discrimination, and this is true for areas of economy where women are the majority, as well as for those where men are the majority. The result is the emergence of occupational gender segregation, feminized occupational fields are generally lower paid. Although progress has been made both in the field of education and that of labour employment, women still have many obstacles to pass before achieving real equality.
The efforts to be made in order to strengthen gender equality must address not only the improvement of legislation in the field of opportunity and gender equality, but also a change in attitudes and behaviours, in social structures, so as to allow women to develop their personality according to their own will and be actively involved in all areas of life.
References
National Legislation
Law no. 202 of 19th April 2002 on equal opportunities and treatment between women and men, as subsequently amended and supplemented
G.E.O. (Government Emergency Ordinance/O.U.G.) Project amending and supplementing Law no. 202 of 19th April 2002 on equal opportunities and treatment between men and women, as subsequently amended and supplemented
Law. no. 324/2006 amending and supplementing Government Ordinance no. 137/2000 on preventing and sanctioning all forms of discrimination, published in the Official Journal of Romania, Part I, no. 626 of 20th July 2006
Law no. 53/2003 - Labour Code, published in the Official Journal of Romania, Part I, no. 72 of 5th February 2003, as subsequently amended and supplemented
Law no. 168/1999 on the settlement of labour disputes
Law 25-2012 on preventing and combating domestic violence
Government Decision (HG) 237-2010 National Strategy on Equal Opportunities 2010-2012
61- 2008 GEO Equal Access to Goods and Services
GEO (Government Emergency Ordinance) 67-2007 Equal Treatment Professional Social Security Schemes
Government Decision (HG) 319-2006 National Strategy on Equal Opportunities 2006-2009
Ordinance 137-2000 on Preventing and Sanctioning Discrimination
European Union Legislation
The EU Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2010-2015
EP Report 2244 2011 Equality between Women and Men in the European Union 2011
2009 Eurobarometer Gender Equality in the EU
2011 Eurobarometer Women in Decision-Making Positions
The Maastricht Treaty
Council Directive 2002/73/EEC amending Council Directive 76/2007/EEC
Relevant Publications in the Field of Gender Equality
Realitate a tranziţiei: Discriminarea de gen (Gender Discrimination - a Reality of Transition), V. Pasti, C. Ilinca, Editura Institutului de Studii ale Dezvoltării (Publishing House of the Institute of Development Studies), Bucharest, 2001
Websites
www.mmuncii.ro
