Category: Initiative

Area: Stereotyping and Gender inequality

Place/Country: Portugal

Date: 24th of February, 2023

Institutions involved: Ekonomista

Target group: The general public

Goals / Objectives /Aims:

Raising awareness among the general public of the presence of gender stereotypes and inequality, namely in the field of work.

Content / Structure / Description including strengthening action competence

Gender equality between men and women is part of the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2018-2030 – Portugal + Equal, approved in 2018 by the Council of Ministers. Among the measures that make up the action plan are in the context of work the promotion of equal pay and the reconciliation of professional, family, and personal life and the prevention and combating of violence against women and domestic violence. In addition, measures such as combating discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual characteristics are also foreseen. Also of note is the inclusion of innovative areas (beyond continuity policies) such as scientific and technological development (digital advancement), as well as the mainstreaming of the intersectional perspective and multiple discrimination. The plan consolidates a strategic vision of Portugal within the framework of promoting public policies of gender equality and non-discrimination as a condition for progress and development.

In the Gender Equality Index 2020, published by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Portugal registered 61.3 points last year. However, Portugal is still not among the best. Spain, right next door, registered 72.0 points. It is necessary to understand the values of the various fields analysed in the study. Health is the one with the highest index (84.6), followed by work (72.9) and finances (72.8). As far as work is concerned, among those working full-time (full-time), mothers and fathers of single parents present the percentages that are closest to each other, with 79.9% of women (higher than the European average: 60.7%) and 76.3% of men (close to the average of the 28: 74.0). When it comes to education (or training) and power, the registered values of 55.7 and 51.1, respectively, show that there is still a long way to go to achieve gender equality in our country. Sweden remains in the lead with an index of 83.8. Right behind is 77.4 Denmark. The Nordic countries thus continue to lead in gender equality issues in Europe. The worst of the 28 is Greece with 52.2, followed by Hungary with 53.0. Despite the overall result being much lower, curiously, in some fields (health, education and time), the Hungarians register higher values than the Portuguese. The biggest difference lies in power.

For the principle of Gender Equality to be fully implemented, it is essential to have laws and guidelines at both national and community level. These should regulate their integration into the various spheres of society. In this way, the legal protection of women and men and access to equal opportunities for all is guaranteed. Thus, the subject is very present and clear in Portuguese law. It is presented as one of the fundamental tasks of the State, in Article 9 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic “to promote equality between men and women”. In turn, Article 13 (Principle of equality) states that all citizens are equal before the law, and no one may be benefited or prejudiced.

Results / Responses → Resulting Competences:

The importance of knowing the laws in favour of equality and non-discrimination at work. Such as: Labour Code (CT), in Subsection III reserved for equality and non-discrimination, in the Official Gazette no. 30/2009, Series I of 2009-02-12. As well as in the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Gender Discrimination of 2018-2030, in which this strategy defines guidelines and public policy measures in the areas of equality between women and men. Further, it covers the prevention and combat of violence against women, domestic violence, and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual characteristics. In the field of the Agenda for Equality in the Labor Market and in Companies, the Strategy reinforces the fight against occupational segregation, the promotion of wage equality and the conciliation of professional, family, and personal life, fostering dialogue with the social partners. The policy to prevent and combat violence against women is consolidated, through a commitment to primary and secondary prevention, intervention with particularly vulnerable groups, empowering victims, training professionals, and preventing and combating traditional harmful practices, namely female genital mutilation, and child, early and forced marriages.

Feedback / Evaluation of the practice:

It is relevant that this type of initiative is available in publications and newsletters open to the public in Portugal.

Link to the source: https://www.e-konomista.pt/igualdade-de-genero/