Barbucci, Giulia; European and international policy department of CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour)

As far as digital is concerned, men and women are not equal

On 12 July 2018, the EESC published a draft opinion on the digital gap between men and women, prepared by the study group chaired by Giulia Barbucci (CGIL). This text is part of the broader perspective of the fight against discrimination affirmed by Jean-Claude Juncker in his speech on the State of the Union 2016.

This draft opinion establishes the following observation: there is a numerical gap between women and men. The consequences of this gap, of course, weigh on the economic efficiency and professional insertion of women (and even on their precariousness), but also on less obvious areas such as the progress of research.

In its draft opinion, the EESC therefore encourages women, by going beyond stereotypes, to reintegrate the areas from which they are excluded. The authorities are invited to take the necessary measures to overturn the obstacles on their roads (educational, social, cyberstalking). To this end, steps are mentioned such as the promotion of new models – for example, teleworking to better reconcile private and professional life – or the establishment of monitoring indicators. The text also recalls the existence of concrete initiatives of the European Commission: the declaration entitled “Digital 4 her” subscribed by digital companies, which aims to create a culture and an environment of inclusion and equality between men and women in the professional world.

This EESC’s draft opinion follows the European Commission’s proposal for a recommendation on European social protection of 13 March: “As the world of work evolves with new ways of life, business practices and of digitalization, social protection systems need to be constantly adapted to the new realities “. Indeed, like the social protection of atypical jobs addressed by the Ipse during various events[1], digital equality between men and women is one of the many challenges that arise with the arrival of digital and must be taken into account. This approach is linked to the European Foundation of Social Rights.

This opinion was adopted by the social section on July 19, 2018. At the 45th Ipse Meeting “Social protection in a turbulent European context”, the subject of digital equality will be on the agenda.

[1] 42nd Ipse Meeting of May 30th and 31st 2016, the conference of January 25^th 2017 and 19^th Ipse professional seminar of February 28^th 2018