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A. Draft
resolution
(open)
B. Draft
recommendation
(open)
Report | Doc. 12540 | 17 March 2011
More women in economic and social decision-making bodies
Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men
Summary
Although women in Europe represent an increasingly high proportion of the labour market, they remain considerably under-represented in top management, including in economic and social decision-making bodies.
In order to redress this situation, which is the result of multiple forms of discrimination, radical changes in society should be promoted, to eradicate the mentality which precludes women access to certain key sectors which are erroneously considered to be men’s strongholds. Furthermore, progressive measures should be introduced to enable women to reconcile family and professional responsibilities without having to choose between them. Finally, positive measures should be envisaged to help women break through the “glass ceiling” which holds them back in the area of professional competition, including the obligation for large companies to have at least 40% of women on their governing boards.
A. Draft
resolution 
(open)1. Although women in Europe represent an increasingly
higher proportion of the labour market they remain considerably
under-represented in top management. There are still too few women
in the governing and supervisory boards of major companies, both
in the private and the public sector, as well as in the governing structures
of trade unions, professional and trade associations and administrations.
2. The Parliamentary Assembly considers that a balanced representation
of women and men at all hierarchical levels, including top management,
is a matter of justice, respect for human rights and good governance.
Furthermore, it notes from recognised studies that the companies
in which equal opportunities are both taken into account and implemented
not only provide women with better career and self-development prospects,
but also achieve better productivity and business profitability.
3. Women’s limited access to top management and decision-making
posts is the result of multiple forms of discrimination to which
they are exposed throughout their lives. In order to redress this
state of affairs, radical changes in society should be promoted,
in order to eradicate the tendency to conceive stereotyped gender roles,
which confine women to subordinate posts and preclude them from
accessing sectors which are erroneously considered as men’s strongholds.
4. To achieve equal opportunities and treatment between women
and men in employment, it is not only necessary to set up and effectively
implement far-reaching and comprehensive anti-discrimination policies,
but also to introduce progressive measures to enable women to reconcile
family and professional responsibilities without having to choose
between them. In addition, positive measures should be envisaged
to help women break through the glass ceiling which holds them back
in the area of professional competition.
5. The Assembly has on several occasions advocated the adoption
of positive measures, including quotas geared to promoting access
by women to the political arena, for example in its Resolution 1706 (2010) and Recommendation
1899 (2010) on increasing women’s representation in politics through
the electoral system and its Resolution
1641 (2008) and Recommendation
1853 (2008) on involving men in achieving gender equality. In the
Assembly’s view, gender quotas are a transitional but necessary
exception to allow positive discrimination with a view to bringing
about a change in attitudes and achievingde
jure and de facto gender equality.
6. The Assembly believes that the experience of quotas could
be advantageously transposed to the private and socio-economic sectors.
In this context, it notes that a number of Council of Europe member
states have already introduced, or are considering introducing,
quotas to improve the representation of women on the governing boards
of major firms. In some cases, in the absence of legal obligations,
large companies have taken similar initiatives.
7. In view of these considerations, the Assembly calls on member
states of the Council of Europe to:
7.1. take strong and resolute action to combat gender discrimination
in education and employment;
7.2. introduce progressive measures to ensure reconciliation
of private and working life, in particular as regards parental leave,
balanced participation of women and men in family life, flexible
work arrangements, leave for family reasons, protection of workers
who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding, reintegration
in the work market for women who left it to take care of family
members, including the obligation for the employer to retrain the
person concerned, and availability of childcare for working parents;
7.3. take prompt action to encourage employers to tackle the
gender salary gap, as recommended in Assembly Resolution 1715 (2010) on the wage gap between women and men;
7.4. encourage action against gender stereotypes in education,
at all levels, and at work and promote training on gender equality
in schools and public administration;
7.5. support the preparation and implementation of training
programmes and databases geared to supporting women in their professional
careers and in access to top management and decision-making posts
in the public and private sectors;
7.6. encourage women’s networking initiatives and exchanges
of good practices in this field;
7.7. ensure that the gender dimension is included in all calls
for public tender;
7.8. award Equality Labels to
actors encouraging recruitment of women and establishing support programmes
for women’s careers;
7.9. promote the feminisation of post titles;
7.10. set an example by adopting action plans aimed at improving
the representation of women in decision-making bodies in all branches
of administration, at local, regional and central levels, as well
as in state-owned companies;
7.11. introduce the obligation for state-owned and large private
companies to guarantee a minimum 40% of representation of women
on their governing and management boards;
7.12. implement the Action Plan “Taking up the Challenge of
the Achievement of de jure and de facto Gender Equality” adopted
by the Ministers responsible for Equality between Women and Men
at the 7th Council of Europe Ministerial Conference (Baku, 24-25
May 2010).
8. The Assembly calls on Council of Europe member states to encourage
companies, firms and associations operating in the private and voluntary
sectors to:
8.1. promote women
success models at the different hierarchical levels and decision-making structures;
8.2. promote career plans for women;
8.3. establish far-reaching equal opportunities policies and
organise annual gender-equality audits;
8.4. set up effective measures to combat sexual harassment
at work;
8.5. introduce rules aimed at ensuring balanced representation
of women and men in top management and decision-making bodies, guaranteeing
a minimum 40% representation of women on governing and supervisory
boards.
B. Draft
recommendation
(open)1. The Parliamentary Assembly welcomes the resolve of
the Ministers responsible for Equality between Women and Men meeting
at the 7th Council of Europe Ministerial Conference (Baku, 24-25
May 2010) and the adoption of the Action Plan “Taking up the Challenge
of the Achievement of de jure and de facto Gender Equality”.
2. Referring to its Resolution ... (2011) “More women in economic
and social decision-making bodies”, the Assembly invites the Committee
of Ministers to pursue and develop its efforts to:
2.1. implement the Action Plan “Taking
up the Challenge of the Achievement of de
jure and de facto Gender
Equality”;
2.2. analyse and gather statistics, particularly concerning
women’s positions in economic and social life;
2.3. highlight best national practices;
2.4. establish qualitative indicators of women’s participation
in economic and social decision-making bodies.
3. In the context of the implementation of the Baku Action Plan,
the Assembly asks the Committee of Ministers to address two recommendations
to member states, respectively on ensuring equal opportunities for women
and men in access to employment and promotions, and on equal opportunities
and the reconciliation of private and professional life.
C. Explanatory memorandum by Ms Gautier, rapporteur
(open)1. Introduction
1. Over the last few years, the Parliamentary Assembly
has on several occasions addressed the issue of women’s representation
in top-level political bodies, adopting a number of reference texts. However, the need to promote
the presence of women in decision-making bodies does not only concern
the political sphere. It also applies to the economic and social
sectors, where women are still under-represented, even though they
play an ever greater part in the world of work.
However, the need to promote
the presence of women in decision-making bodies does not only concern
the political sphere. It also applies to the economic and social
sectors, where women are still under-represented, even though they
play an ever greater part in the world of work. 2. It is unfair that the governing and supervisory boards of
both private and public-sector firms, the governing bodies of trade
union and professional organisations, diplomatic and consular services
and major trade associations, as well as industrial tribunals, all
still include too few women. This situation is due to multiple types
of discrimination faced by women when trying to have access to certain
careers, and to get promoted to management jobs. This situation
undermines good economic governance; balanced participation of women
in decision-making in the socio-economic field would increase business
profitability, improve productivity and create more jobs. It would
also offer women more motivating careers and enhance their economic independence
and their empowerment.
3. Under my terms of reference as rapporteur, I proposed that
the committee organise a parliamentary hearing on 10 September 2010,
to which the following participants were invited:
- Ms Beatrice Castellane, lawyer of the Paris Bar Association, international arbitrator and President for the international activities of the French Association of Female Lawyers, who took stock of the requisite strategies for promoting access by women to economic and social decision-making posts;
- Ms Veronica Nilsson, administrative officer responsible for gender equality at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), who described the place of women in social dialogue and outlined the ideas which her organisation is exploring with a view to improving the situation of women in decision-making bodies;
- Ms Leena Linnainmaa, Director of the Finnish Central Chamber of Commerce and former President of the European Women Lawyers Association, who reported on the experience in her country, which has succeeded, without resorting to legislation, in considerably improving the presence of women in company governing boards.
4. After these presentations, a productive exchange of views
with committee members highlighted the enormous range of different
situations in Europe and facilitated discussion of many ideas which
are reflected in this report.
5. De facto equality between
women and men is far from being a reality, also in so far as access
to employment and promotion are concerned. This objective, which
is a matter not only of democracy, social justice and respect for
fundamental rights but also of sound economic governance, cannot
be achieved without a political impetus and resolve which have so
far been conspicuous by their absence.
6. The Council of Europe has recently taken a step in the right
direction: the Ministers responsible for Equality between Women
and Men, meeting at the 7th Council of Europe Ministerial Conference
in Baku, adopted the Action Plan on “Taking up the challenge of
the achievement of de jure and de facto gender equality”. This plan promotes the implementation
of common standards in the member states and measures to encourage
women and men to share equitably the responsibilities and advantages
of paid and unpaid work, particularly domestic and family responsibilities.
This plan promotes the implementation
of common standards in the member states and measures to encourage
women and men to share equitably the responsibilities and advantages
of paid and unpaid work, particularly domestic and family responsibilities. 7. Achieving equal opportunities requires a radical reworking
of attitudes. It is also up to women to change in order to break
through the glass ceiling which prevents them from reaching the
higher levels in some hierarchies. As Ms Castellane pointed out,
women have the glass ceiling in their heads. The aim is to facilitate the
identification of competences and promote training courses, networking
and exemplarity. It is mainly up to women to make themselves visible
and not to worry about competing with men in male-dominated areas.
2. Role of women on the labour market
8. According to Eurostat, in recent years the female
employment rate has increased steadily in Europe and moved closer
to the male rate. In 2009, the highest rate was in Iceland (76.5%
for women, as against 80% for men), while the lowest was in Turkey
(24.2% for women, as against 64.5% for men). The average employment rate
in the European Union was 64.6% (women: 58.6%; men: 70.7%).
9. This increased access by women to the labour market, coupled
with improved results at secondary school and university level,
has not altered the male domination of decision-making bodies. It
has, however, fundamentally changed the labour market: more women
are entering professions where men were previously in the majority,
thereby paving the way for a more balanced distribution of roles
and decision-making in the future.
3. Situation in various sectors
3.1. Too few women in the highest posts in politics
10. The critical threshold for the representation of
each sex in order to achieve balanced representation in a decision-making
body in the political or public sphere is 40%, according to the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. This threshold should not apply only
to political decision-making bodies but is a valid criterion for
ensuring a balanced representation of women and men in the economic
and social sectors.
This threshold should not apply only
to political decision-making bodies but is a valid criterion for
ensuring a balanced representation of women and men in the economic
and social sectors. 11. While the quota system has resulted in better representation
of women in national parliaments, the quantitative improvement is
not reflected in a qualitative improvement. Women in politics still
fail to reach certain key posts, they are excluded from some networks
and find it hard to advance beyond junior positions. Unfortunately,
there are not enough statistical tools to assess the actual proportion
of women in key posts more accurately. As an example of good practice,
Norway publishes a detailed annual report on the progress made in
its equality policy.
12. This exclusion of women can also be seen in the composition
of ministerial cabinets and in terms of appointments to high-level
public posts, where men still tend to co-opt one another all too
often.
13. Governments and parliaments must set an example for the whole
of society to follow. Norway already has a government which comprises
as many women as men, and four of the seven members of the Swiss Federal
Council are women. It is by incorporating this exemplarity principle
at the highest level that a radical change can be effected in society.
3.2. Too few women leaders in the public service
14. While women are now well represented in public service
employment in Europe, the same does not apply to managerial positions.
In most European countries, men outnumber women in all senior public
service posts.
15. The situation in the education sector – where most teachers
and staff are women, but management remains predominantly male –
speaks volumes. In France, there is a particular over-representation
of men among rectors, university presidents and deans, whereas most
of the teachers are women.
16. The same phenomenon occurs in local and regional authorities,
whereas they should be setting an example by increasing the number
of women in management posts, as advocated by the Congress of Local and
Regional Authorities, in order to guarantee implementation of a
positive equality and integration policy.
17. In the judiciary and legal services, there are too few women
in senior positions. In this connection, the European Union has
gathered much data concerning the distribution of roles in the management
of national and European courts and legal services (supreme, administrative
and constitutional courts, as well as public prosecutors). Having long been backward here,
this profession is now becoming more female, thanks to population
trends that are favourable to women. Nevertheless, there is a lack
of accurate data to explain why women are still under-represented
in the leading courts.
Having long been backward here,
this profession is now becoming more female, thanks to population
trends that are favourable to women. Nevertheless, there is a lack
of accurate data to explain why women are still under-represented
in the leading courts. 18. Access by women to decision-making posts in diplomatic services
is not progressing either. No member state has achieved the figure
of 40% of women ambassadors. Nor has the European Union shown the way, since
there are only six women among the 28 ambassadors recently appointed
to the European Union External Service.
Nor has the European Union shown the way, since
there are only six women among the 28 ambassadors recently appointed
to the European Union External Service. 3.3. Too few women in decision-making posts in major companies
19. In Europe, achieving diversity and equality on the
governing boards of the largest publicly listed companies is a distant
target. Within the European Union nearly 97% of board chairpersons
and 88% of board members are male. The representation of women is
rising, but painfully slowly (around half a percentage point per
year). If progress continues at this pace it will be at least another
fifty years before corporate boardrooms have at least 40% of each
gender.
20. In addition, women in the private sector are frequently confined
to less important management posts: when they do reach senior management
level, they are often appointed to positions in communication or human
resources.
21. The European Union is very active in the promotion of equal
opportunities at work also at managerial and decision-making level.
It “support[s] and complement[s] the activities of the Member States
… [in promoting] equality between men and women with regard to labour
market opportunities and treatment at work”. In 2010, the European Commission
reviewed the roadmap for gender equality for 2010-2015, while maintaining
the promotion of gender equality in decision-making as a priority. In
2008, it established the “European Network of Women in Decision-making
in Politics and the Economy” and has collected data on the breakdown
of women and men in decision-making processes in 34 countries since
2003.
In 2010, the European Commission
reviewed the roadmap for gender equality for 2010-2015, while maintaining
the promotion of gender equality in decision-making as a priority. In
2008, it established the “European Network of Women in Decision-making
in Politics and the Economy” and has collected data on the breakdown
of women and men in decision-making processes in 34 countries since
2003. 22. Similarly, the International Labour Organization (ILO) collects
regular data on this matter and has produced a number of in-depth
studies and publications. The ILO also promotes the signature and ratification
of international conventions such as the ILO Workers with Family
Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) and the ILO Maternity
Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183).
The ILO also promotes the signature and ratification
of international conventions such as the ILO Workers with Family
Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156) and the ILO Maternity
Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183). 3.4. Too few women leaders in political parties and trade unions
23. While more and more political parties in Europe have
appointed women leaders, party management bodies are still dominated
by men. The Assembly has shown its commitment here by encouraging
political parties to foster equality internally, including in their
management bodies, through the Parliamentary Assembly Gender Equality
Prize launched in 2009.
24. The situation in trade unions is unsatisfactory. Of
the 80 trade union organisations affiliated to the European Trade
Union Confederation (ETUC), only five are headed by women. And yet
by adopting the Framework for actions
on gender equality in 2005 (ETUC, BusinessEurope, UEAPME
and CEEP), social partners in Europe did show that they were aware
of the parlous state of female representation. This Action Plan
was finalised and implemented at the end of 2009.
Of
the 80 trade union organisations affiliated to the European Trade
Union Confederation (ETUC), only five are headed by women. And yet
by adopting the Framework for actions
on gender equality in 2005 (ETUC, BusinessEurope, UEAPME
and CEEP), social partners in Europe did show that they were aware
of the parlous state of female representation. This Action Plan
was finalised and implemented at the end of 2009. 25. Some trade union organisations have endeavoured to improve
the access of women to executive positions. In Italy, for instance,
the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) carried out voluntary
reforms to bring female representation up from 21% in 1991, to 33%
in 1996 and 40% in 2006. The organisation is currently on the verge
of achieving parity.
26. In Europe, while 44% of the members of ETUC organisations
are women, the latter are under-represented at all their hierarchical
levels. The issue of the access of women to decision-making posts
will be prioritised at the forthcoming ETUC Congress in May 2011.
Ten proposals will be discussed:
- making the arguments for gender balance a main priority;
- actively promoting gender equality at all levels of the organisation through gender mainstreaming;
- introducing statutory rule changes on gender balance (quotas for example);
- preparing women for decision-making and leadership roles;
- engaging men to build a consensus for balanced gender representation;
- addressing the organisation’s image and culture;
- supporting women’s activism and involvement in decision-making roles at all levels;
- promoting gender diversity in internal human resources;
- providing gender-disaggregated data;
- developing concrete action plans to improve gender balance.
4. Measures to ensure balanced representation of women in top management
4.1. Gender quotas
27. In Finland, a study published by the employers’ organisation
has shown that companies which implement equal opportunities increase
their productivity. In this country, acknowledgement
of the qualities of female entrepreneurship has led to a rapid improvement
in women’s representation on governing boards, without any need
for legal measures, because the corporate governance code itself
requires that “both genders shall be represented on the boards”.
In this country, acknowledgement
of the qualities of female entrepreneurship has led to a rapid improvement
in women’s representation on governing boards, without any need
for legal measures, because the corporate governance code itself
requires that “both genders shall be represented on the boards”. 28. According to Ms Linnainmaa, whereas employers had rejected
the mandatory positive measures, women’s representation was gradually
improved thanks to the commitment of the then Prime Minister, the active
involvement of Ms Mari Kiviniemi, the current Prime Minister, at
the various stages in negotiations, and the media support from Mr
Jorma Olilla, chairperson of Nokia and Shell. The implementation
of this voluntary approach, supported by the economic media, has
made Finland one of the countries in which women are best represented
on company governing boards.
29. Unlike Finland, Norway has resorted to legislative measures
to introduce quotas ensuring that more women accede to economic
decision-making posts in the private sector.
30. Rather than requiring the feminisation of managerial posts,
the law imposed a 40% threshold of women on the governing boards
of public enterprises and certain categories of private companies,
setting them a deadline to comply with this obligation. In order
to guarantee the implementation of the reform, a number of increasingly
heavy sanctions can be applied, going as far as the winding-up of
any company which fails to observe the quota.
31. This law, which initially caused controversy, was supported
by several political parties from both the majority and the opposition.
The overall assessment is positive: from 2003 to 2010 female participation
on the governing boards of almost 400 state-owned and listed companies
increased from 7 to 40%.
32. The risk of sanctions had a successful deterrent effect, because
the number of companies complying with the new quota requirement
considerably increased from 2008 onwards, which was the deadline
for compliance with legislation. Moreover, the implementation of
the reform met with no criticism or problems. On the contrary, it led to an
open public debate on issues of equal opportunities and equal results
between women and men, including in the economic field. Furthermore, it prompted
the creation of databases of CVs of women with the requisite profiles
for joining governing boards, as well as the organisation of training
courses to improve their skills.
On the contrary, it led to an
open public debate on issues of equal opportunities and equal results
between women and men, including in the economic field. Furthermore, it prompted
the creation of databases of CVs of women with the requisite profiles
for joining governing boards, as well as the organisation of training
courses to improve their skills. 33. Norway is not the only country to have introduced quotas:
in 2007, Spain followed suit by introducing the legal obligation
for state-owned companies to have 40% female membership of their
governing boards within eight years; and in March 2010, Iceland
introduced a quota for public and private companies. In Belgium, Sweden
and the United Kingdom, similar proposals are being discussed.
34. Since 1972, my own country, France, has adopted six successive
laws on gender equality. Positive measures have been adopted, but
the situation has not substantially changed because no effective
sanctioning mechanism has been forthcoming.
35. In January 2011, the law on balanced representation of women
and men on governing and supervisory boards and on occupational
equality was adopted. It sets out the progressive introduction of
quotas to promote women’s representation in the governing structures
of large companies, in particular on governing and supervisory boards
of companies listed on the stock market and public companies. Two
stages are foreseen: within three years from the adoption of the
law, the bodies concerned should include at least 20% of women; within
six years from the adoption of the law, the quota of women on governing
bodies should reach 40%. Non-compliance with these quotas will result
in the appointments (but not the deliberations) being null and void.
36. Irrespective of the existence of legal obligations, some companies
have unilaterally decided to introduce gender quotas: Deutsche Telekom
has a target of women holding 30% of senior posts by 2015; Deutsche
Post and KPN (the leading telecommunications firm in the Netherlands)
are pursuing similar objectives; in 2008, the AREVA group launched
ODEO ( Open Dialogue through Equal Opportunities),
a scheme designed to raise awareness of equality issues, including
gender equality, among the group’s human resources officers, managers
and staff representatives in 12 countries in Europe.
4.2. Promoting exemplarity
37. Women’s limited access to managerial posts stems
from discrimination, amounts to discrimination and perpetuates it.
In order to break this vicious circle, all stakeholders must be
mobilised at the highest level to value women’s competences and
bring forward radical changes.
38. Women throughout Europe have shown their professionalism by
acceding to the highest responsibilities in competition with men.
To mention just a few: Ms Anne Lauvergeon, Chief Executive Officer
of AREVA (energy) in France, Ms Simone Bagel-Trah, chairperson of
the supervisory board of Henkel group (chemicals) in Germany, Ms
Cynthia Carroll, Chief Executive Officer of Anglo-American PLC (mining
sector) in the United Kingdom, Ms Guler Sabanci, chairperson of
Sabanci Holding in Turkey, Ms Nancy McKinstry, CEO and chairperson
of the executive board of Wolters Kluwer (publishing) in the Netherlands,
Ms Ana Patricia Botin, chairperson of the Banesto group (banking)
in Spain, and Ms Hilde Myrberg, executive vice-president of Orkla in
Norway. These women constitute role models for others wishing to
accede to top responsibilities.
39. Their stories, and the careers of other less prominent businesswomen,
open the door to new generations of women leaders. These women have
a highly symbolic responsibility and should encourage other women
to follow in their footsteps by sponsoring them.
40. As Ms Castellane explained during the hearing organised by
the committee, in addition to promoting these models, it is useful
to “reshuffle the cards” wherever possible, that is to say, to break
with old customs and replace them with new approaches, by refounding
a new structure in which a number of places are set aside for women.
In endeavouring to enhance the status of women, it is easier to
impose a gender conception on a new organisation than on an older
body.
4.3. Enabling women to reconcile family and professional life
41. The traditional distribution of roles in society
has had its day. In Europe, we have a whole battery of texts to
promote de jure gender equality.
In reality, however, women still have the primary responsibility
for managing family life, which often prevents them from launching
or continuing their careers. In 2009, 4 000 Spanish women had to
give up their careers to look after their children, whereas only
200 men did the same.
42. It is a fact that more and more women work, and some of them
also manage to reach top management posts. But often the cost of
this professional success is that they choose not to have children.
43. It is proven that pregnancy and maternity have a negative
impact on women’s careers. The European Working Conditions Observatory
(a European Commission agency) has highlighted the findings of the “Génération
98” study conducted in France in 2005 by the Céreq research centre
on the first seven years in employment of young workers of all levels. The pay of women who
had children failed to keep pace with that of their male colleagues
or women who did not have children. Yet maternity is the foundation
of any society’s dynamism, ensuring the future financing of pensions.
The pay of women who
had children failed to keep pace with that of their male colleagues
or women who did not have children. Yet maternity is the foundation
of any society’s dynamism, ensuring the future financing of pensions. 44. Moreover, in our societies, the distribution of household
tasks is highly unfavourable to women, which limits the time they
have available and their ability to adapt to some working hour arrangements
designed by men for men. The culture of “presenteeism” limits the
role of women, who often seek better reconciliation of work and
family life. Nevertheless, new approaches such as teleworking can
help reconcile private and working life, and are conducive to employment,
for example in the dynamic personal homecare sector.
45. The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and
Working Conditions (a European Commission agency) provides governments,
employers, trade unions and the European Commission with data and
good practices based on independent and comparative research in
this area.
46. Encouraging access by women to decision-making bodies first
of all helps enhance the career plans of women who really wish to
succeed, by encouraging the various organisations to recruit and
promote talented women, organise training courses to learn how to
speak in public in order to demythologise such responsibilities
and help women to realise their own potential.
47. Some examples of best practice, such as mentoring and coaching
of women wishing to accede to higher responsibilities by a woman
or man in a senior position, have proved effective.
4.4. Influencing attitudes
48. Women are much less well represented than men in
prestigious training programmes that lead to careers in decision-making
bodies, and tend not come forward for positions of this kind. They
are often held back by psychological barriers. Unfortunately, women
frequently also give up their ambitions voluntarily. Researchers
have referred to this kind of self-demotivation as the “emotional
ceiling”.
49. The traditional separation of cognitive fields between girls
and boys at school (unruly boys like mathematics while docile girls
prefer literature) certainly helps make girls more likely to avoid
rivalry and belittle their own qualities. Schools must work more
on managing emotions and on the issue of self-esteem so that girls
can compete with boys on an equal footing.
50. Staff (both women and men) must be alerted to this issue via
training in the gender perspective, in order to promote the values
of respect which are necessary in working life, in society and at
home. Employers must be firm about combating sexist and discriminatory
behaviour and sexual harassment.
51. Promoting the feminisation of post titles and gender precaution
in communications help prepare people for access by women to new
responsibilities. Society must get used to the fact that women can
occupy executive posts.
52. In order to support strategies to promote women to decision-making
posts, gender research should be used to help reveal inertias that
curb the advancement of women and to spotlight new decision-making
bodies which exclude women.
53. Women must show female solidarity in order to cope with conflicts
and day-to-day resistance. Women wishing to accede to decision-making
bodies are in a conquering mood on the same basis as their male competitors.
54. Various women’s associations active in several European countries
seek to help women to overcome these difficulties and boost their
presence in decision-making posts, through sponsorship and advocacy.
They include:
- at European level: Association of Organisations of Mediterranean Businesswomen, Business and Professional Women’s Foundation, European Professional Women’s Network, European Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA), Femmes 3000, Gender-IT Project, Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society;
- in Germany: Deutsche Juristinnenbund; FidAR – die Initiative für mehr Frauen in die Aufsichtsräte;
- in France: Association française des femmes juristes; Force femmes; Femmes 3000; Grandes Ecoles au Féminin (GEF);
- in Sweden: All Bright;
- in Switzerland: CEO Generation.
55. While female entrepreneurship has shown its dynamism, according
to Ernst & Young it often comes up against the problem of funding.
It would be wise to encourage the initiatives of certain investment
funds in growth enterprises directed by women or evincing an exemplary
gender balance in their governing bodies.
5. Conclusions
56. It would be difficult to impose one single method
of achieving the objective of balanced representation of women and
men in economic and social decision-making bodies and top management
given the wide variety of situations; some countries have only just
set changes in motion, others have undertaken radical reforms or are
about to achieve the objective.
57. The key to success is a new collective awareness which would
enable a strong political will to firmly support a change of attitudes
in both women and men. Balanced access of women to managerial and
decision-making posts, including in the socio-economic field, would
be a genuine qualitative leap forward towards achieving de facto
equality between women and men in society.
58. The member states of the Council of Europe should take forceful
positive action to improve women’s access to decision-making bodies,
including economic and social ones. Introducing a legal obligation
on large companies to have a minimum 40% quota of women on their
governing or management boards – drawing on the Norwegian model
– could be an appropriate measure to ensure that we can take this
qualitative leap.
59. Moreover, it is interesting to note that the organisers of
the World Economic Forum in Davos have for the first time asked
that at least one woman should be included among the five representatives
of each company belonging to the group of strategic partners.
60. Furthermore, with an eye to efficiency, the introduction of
quotas should be accompanied by sanctions, going as far as the winding-up
of companies which fail to comply with this obligation.
61. The Council of Europe member states should also set an example
by applying a gender dimension to their internal operations and
relations with their partners in the private and voluntary sector,
with a view to improving the representation of women in decision-making
bodies.
62. Lastly, they should back the implementation of measures to
support women willing and able to accede to decision-making bodies,
as well as the Action Plan “Taking up the Challenge of the Achievement
of de jure and de facto Gender Equality” adopted
in Baku on 25 May 2010.