economic policies and the eu gender mainstreaming mita marra, phd cnr – university of salerno...

Economic Economic Policies and the Policies and the

EU Gender EU Gender MainstreamingMainstreamingMita Marra, PhDMita Marra, PhD

CNR – University of SalernoCNR – University of Salerno

ItalyItaly

BackgroundBackground Methodology of analysisMethodology of analysis Taxonomy of economic policiesTaxonomy of economic policies EU Gender Mainstreaming ApproachEU Gender Mainstreaming Approach Potential Impact on Gender EqualityPotential Impact on Gender Equality ConclusionsConclusions

BackgroundBackground

European Employment Strategy of Lisbon:European Employment Strategy of Lisbon:- female participation in the labor market - female participation in the labor market should reach 60 percent in 2010should reach 60 percent in 2010

2003-2005 National Plans for Employment and 2003-2005 National Plans for Employment and Social Inclusion, which have strongly put emphasis Social Inclusion, which have strongly put emphasis on the need to foster participation in labour market, on the need to foster participation in labour market, active social inclusion policiesactive social inclusion policies

European Economic and Social Cohesion European Economic and Social Cohesion Policy:Policy: Structural Funds for overcoming economic Structural Funds for overcoming economic

disparities among European regionsdisparities among European regions

BackgroundBackground

Mainstreaming and empowerment of Mainstreaming and empowerment of gender policies represent an gender policies represent an important innovation at the heart of important innovation at the heart of the EU integrated policy approach. the EU integrated policy approach. Yet, one thing is to assert the Yet, one thing is to assert the

principle’s relevance, another is to act principle’s relevance, another is to act on the material and cognitive conditions on the material and cognitive conditions that make this principle relevant in the that make this principle relevant in the different local and social contexts.different local and social contexts.

Methodology of analysisMethodology of analysis

In depth-interviewing of In depth-interviewing of heterogeneous groups of women (by age, heterogeneous groups of women (by age,

education, occupation, gender-related experience), education, occupation, gender-related experience), who have self-selected for participating in who have self-selected for participating in reiterated formal training offerings to promote reiterated formal training offerings to promote gender political representation, and gender political representation, and

a number of key informants involved in gender-a number of key informants involved in gender-related decision making (policy makers at the related decision making (policy makers at the regional and local level, managers within public, regional and local level, managers within public, private, and social sector, entrepreneurs, and private, and social sector, entrepreneurs, and representatives of unions, experts in counselling representatives of unions, experts in counselling and legal issues). and legal issues).


Critical taxonomy of the integrated Critical taxonomy of the integrated policy approach, including economic policy approach, including economic policies, which are gender sensitive.policies, which are gender sensitive. This taxonomy allows us to gain insights This taxonomy allows us to gain insights

on how different economic policies can on how different economic policies can activate psychological and cognitive activate psychological and cognitive factors, roles and power, and thus factors, roles and power, and thus change the ability of beneficiaries change the ability of beneficiaries (women and men) to perceive, select, (women and men) to perceive, select, and exploit the benefits they are offered. and exploit the benefits they are offered.


What is important to understand is What is important to understand is how and for whom eligibility how and for whom eligibility conditions modify bargaining power conditions modify bargaining power as well as the objectives of the weak as well as the objectives of the weak subject within the family, in relation subject within the family, in relation to public institutions, on the labour to public institutions, on the labour and credit market. and credit market.

Taxonomy of economic Taxonomy of economic policiespolicies

Entrepreneurship:Entrepreneurship: Business start-upsBusiness start-ups Subsidies or tax exemptions across specific Subsidies or tax exemptions across specific

sectorssectors Active labor market policies:Active labor market policies:

New jobs’ creation;resource jobs; flexible New jobs’ creation;resource jobs; flexible contractual positions; recruitment and contractual positions; recruitment and employment subsidies; welfare to work; employment subsidies; welfare to work; employment services and work placement employment services and work placement schemes; work practice programs; work schemes; work practice programs; work experience schemes arranged by non-profit experience schemes arranged by non-profit organizationsorganizations


Active labor market policies:Active labor market policies: Work-life reconciliation: Work-life reconciliation: flexible work flexible work

time arrangements (i.e., part-time); time arrangements (i.e., part-time); maternity and parental leaves; job maternity and parental leaves; job sharing; work at distance; child-care sharing; work at distance; child-care facilities; residential care for elderly, facilities; residential care for elderly, disabled and ill;disabled and ill;

life-long education and professional life-long education and professional trainingtraining: i.e., higher education; : i.e., higher education; continuous skills’ upgrading; training continuous skills’ upgrading; training for employability-enhancing;for employability-enhancing;


Social inclusion:Social inclusion: social assistancesocial assistance: i.e., income support; : i.e., income support;

post-break-uppost-break-up public maintenance in case public maintenance in case of absent father; support for dependents’ of absent father; support for dependents’ care (children, elderly, and disabled); care (children, elderly, and disabled); unemployment and maternity benefits; unemployment and maternity benefits; pension; counselling; volunteering and pension; counselling; volunteering and involvement in social service for involvement in social service for community care; information campaigns;community care; information campaigns;

housinghousing: i.e., public housing; sheltered : i.e., public housing; sheltered homes run by non-profit organizations; homes run by non-profit organizations; group flats;group flats;

Gender Mainstreaming Gender Mainstreaming ApproachApproach

From the analysis of these policy measures, it From the analysis of these policy measures, it appears that:appears that: work-life reconciliation has been thus far associated work-life reconciliation has been thus far associated

with various forms of social exclusion such as with various forms of social exclusion such as educational disadvantages, long-term unemployment, educational disadvantages, long-term unemployment, low paid (irregular) working positions, marital low paid (irregular) working positions, marital instability. instability.

the gender gap is interpreted as a state of need, the gender gap is interpreted as a state of need, emerging out a condition of economic, social and emerging out a condition of economic, social and cultural vulnerability, which may exacerbate over time. cultural vulnerability, which may exacerbate over time.

The consequences of such vulnerability are no longer The consequences of such vulnerability are no longer conceived as private individual risks but are taken out conceived as private individual risks but are taken out of the private sphere and granted protection from of the private sphere and granted protection from society.society.


Key policy indicators are: Key policy indicators are: the individual and household income level, the individual and household income level, years and type of education, years and type of education, skill features and shortage, skill features and shortage, the health status, and the health status, and the rapidly changing composition of the the rapidly changing composition of the

family, coupled with the marked family, coupled with the marked demographic transformation and the work demographic transformation and the work evolving conditions.evolving conditions.


The aim of these policy measures is to fill the The aim of these policy measures is to fill the specifically diagnosed socioeconomic or specifically diagnosed socioeconomic or psychological gap, which would hinder the psychological gap, which would hinder the attainment of the socially desirable balance attainment of the socially desirable balance between between productionproduction and social and social reproductionreproduction. .

The underlying policy assumption is that a The underlying policy assumption is that a trade-off trade-off exists between productive efficiency exists between productive efficiency and social justice, which shapes both the micro and social justice, which shapes both the micro and macro and macro optimal optimal equilibrium between work equilibrium between work and caring labor in Western advanced and caring labor in Western advanced economies.economies.


The expected outcomes are increased The expected outcomes are increased women’s women’s employabilityemployability, , entrepreneurshipentrepreneurship, , leadershipleadership, and , and empowerment empowerment as well as as well as raised female raised female awareness awareness on such issues as on such issues as health, motherhood, child welfare, disability, health, motherhood, child welfare, disability, violence, human rights, and self-realization. violence, human rights, and self-realization.

These are individually- and family-based These are individually- and family-based capabilities capabilities enabling work-life balance at the enabling work-life balance at the micro level. These modified conditions of micro level. These modified conditions of choice can, in turn, nurture human choice can, in turn, nurture human development, overcoming existing development, overcoming existing socioeconomic cross-gender inequalities, and socioeconomic cross-gender inequalities, and hence assure higher economic growth hence assure higher economic growth prospects at the macro level (Robeyns, 2007). prospects at the macro level (Robeyns, 2007).

Potential ImpactPotential Impact What happens when these policies are What happens when these policies are

adopted/adapted across different territories adopted/adapted across different territories and contexts?and contexts?

These measures have considerable potential to shift These measures have considerable potential to shift the unbalanced work-life reconciliation patterns the unbalanced work-life reconciliation patterns from the traditional patriarchal organization of the from the traditional patriarchal organization of the family towards different degrees and modalities of family towards different degrees and modalities of shared responsibilities for breadwinning and caring shared responsibilities for breadwinning and caring labor (Folbre, Nelson, 2002).labor (Folbre, Nelson, 2002).

In such contests, different living conditions between In such contests, different living conditions between urban centers and rural areas highlights profound urban centers and rural areas highlights profound differences in the reconciliation paths potentially differences in the reconciliation paths potentially activated by the above examined policies. activated by the above examined policies.

Potential ImpactPotential Impact

Yet, this approach may end up Yet, this approach may end up resulting resulting supply-side supply-side if it merely if it merely transfers a set of financial benefits, transfers a set of financial benefits, knowledge and professional skills to knowledge and professional skills to increase female paid work, assure increase female paid work, assure family care, reduce poverty and social family care, reduce poverty and social exclusion through unidirectional, exclusion through unidirectional, hierarchical, and coercive governance hierarchical, and coercive governance structures and relations (formal structures and relations (formal vertical subsidiarityvertical subsidiarity). ).

Potential ImpactPotential Impact

We can isolate at least two factors at the micro We can isolate at least two factors at the micro level. level. The gendered perceived role sheds light on the The gendered perceived role sheds light on the

difference between the sex of the person playing a difference between the sex of the person playing a role and the gendered nature of the role, which in role and the gendered nature of the role, which in turn shapes personal views, structures social action turn shapes personal views, structures social action and cultural values.and cultural values.

The power processes overtly and covertly unfolding The power processes overtly and covertly unfolding within the family. The power dimension sheds light within the family. The power dimension sheds light on the subtle ways male domination and female on the subtle ways male domination and female submission perpetuate in social, family, and work submission perpetuate in social, family, and work relationships within Western advanced societies.relationships within Western advanced societies.

Potential ImpactPotential Impact Factors at the macro level:Factors at the macro level:

Human development: Human development: a welfare dimension (i.e., caring, income benefits, human a welfare dimension (i.e., caring, income benefits, human

rights), rights), an economic dimension (i.e., education, entrepreneurship, an economic dimension (i.e., education, entrepreneurship,

economic independence, market access and bargaining economic independence, market access and bargaining power), and power), and

a cultural/political dimension (i.e., conflict, cooperation, a cultural/political dimension (i.e., conflict, cooperation, fairness within families, responsibilities and role sharing, fairness within families, responsibilities and role sharing, personal self-realization, aspirations gap, intrinsic personal self-realization, aspirations gap, intrinsic motivations)motivations)

Economic development:Economic development: Monetary and non monetary externalitiesMonetary and non monetary externalities Agglomeration effectsAgglomeration effects Mechanisms of propagationMechanisms of propagation

ConclusionsConclusions

First, gender equality impact is caused by First, gender equality impact is caused by multiple factors and not linearly affected by multiple factors and not linearly affected by one specific change mechanism.one specific change mechanism.

gender mainstreaming is effective in integrating gender mainstreaming is effective in integrating different policy measures to tap complementaries different policy measures to tap complementaries among policy sectors and themes.among policy sectors and themes.

Secondly, economic policies need to Secondly, economic policies need to overcome the linear, standardized approach overcome the linear, standardized approach overlooking factors of subjective identities overlooking factors of subjective identities and contextual characteristics.and contextual characteristics.

economic policies and the eu gender mainstreaming mita marra, phd cnr – university of salerno...

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