1. Μετάβαση στην πρώτη σελίδα Maria Stratigaki PANTEION UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCES ATHENS - GREECE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2004 Seminar Strategies of Equal Opportunities in Europe UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP «The Co-Optation of Gender Concepts in EU Policies. The Case of Reconciliation of Work and Family »

2. Co-optation of EU gender equality concepts n Feminists ideas and strategies n Multiple interpretations n Rhetoric appropriation n Redirection of policy outcomes n New discourse becomes part of powerful policy frames

3. Co-optation process n Concept is not rejected BUT n Transform the meaning n Deteriorate the impact n Produce counter effect n Use of the concept as alibi n Greater danger: in EU Institutions

4. Co-optation of Reconciliation of work and family From n equal sharing of family and domestic tasks between women and men to n increasing flexibility in the labour market

5. Family -work balance in EU official texts n 1974 EU Social Action Programme u family responsibilies may be reconciled with job aspirations n 1975 UN Conference in Mexico u sharing of family responsibilities between women and men’ n 1982 First EU Action program u equal sharing of parental responsibilities as a precondition for equal treatment

6. n 1986 Second EU Action Program u sharing of family and occupational responsibilities n 1989 Communication on family policies u reconciling work and family life and sharing family responsibilities n 1989 EU Workers Charter u reconciling occupational and family obligations

7. n Council Recommendation on Childcare (1991) n Provision of funding for childcare facilities n Importance of quality and quantity of childcare provision n Research and studies on the role of fathers «Men as carers» Third Action Program 1991-1995 Focussing childcare

8. Fourth Action Program 1996-2000 better rhetoric less policies n New term u Combining work with household/family n Explicit concern u «...the development of new flexible working arrangements may in practice reinforce exisitgn sex segregation…» n Measures: u Directive on Parental Leave u More studies

9. Co-optation by Economic priorities 1994 White paper «Growth, Competitiveness and Employment» u RECONCILIATION related to: u to individualisation of taxation and social security u to the emergence of new forms of employment n objective: maximising job opportunities for women (homework, telework etc) n policy shift: u from equal treatment and positive action u to women in flexible jobs.

10. Co-optation by Employment policies 1994 White Paper on Social Policy n new forms of employment for the benefit of workers with family responsibilities n economic arguments for labor market desegregation n social infrastructure

11. Co-optation by Employment policies 1996 Directive on Parental Leave n change of purpose: 1983 (proposal) : equal treatment 1996 (final): reconciliation for working parents n entitlements for younger children n no provisions for pay and social security n non-tranferability n concensus by social partenrs

12. 1998 European Employment Strategy Four pillars n Εnterrpreuneurship n Worker’s employability n Companies adaptability n Equal opportunities for women and men u gender gap (pay and activity rate) u reconciliation (parental leaves, part-time work)  childcare provision (where some needs are not met )

13. European Council Objectives 2000 LISBON n Targets for women’s employment by 2010 u more than 60% of women in employment n Benchmarking for quality of childcare provision - indicators 2002 BARCELONA n Targets for childcare by 2010 u 90% of children more than 3 years old u 33% of children less than 3 years old