Direction of EU growth strategy causes concern

GENDER EQUALITY

Spain will push for gender equality to be given more emphasis in the strategy, according to the country's equality minister. “We are not giving up on gender in Europe 2020,” Bibiana Aído told European Voice. “The gender perspective has to be in this strategy. We feel that there cannot be a step backwards from what we had already in the Lisbon strategy.”
The Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs, the predecessor to Europe 2020, aimed for the EU to get 60% of women in employment by 2010 – a target that was missed. Europe 2020 has a more general target of getting 75% of people aged 20-64 in work. Aído insisted that a specific target was still required: “Now we have 76% of men in employment and 63% of women. It is obvious if we are to reach the 75% of people in employment, it is women's employment [that must be increased] and that is why we see the need for a specific target.”
“You cannot think about growth perspective in the next ten years without the participation of women. This is not only a question of social justice, but it also makes economic sense,” she said.
The Spanish government made headlines in 2008 when José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero won a second term as prime minister and appointed more women than men to his team. Aído, one of his appointees, said that “the presence of women broadens the issues that are tackled in politics”, mentioning issues such as violence against women and the gender pay gap.