International Women's Day: 'Full Equality Still Eludes Us'
7 Mar 2007
A full 90 years after women organised to demand the vote, full gender equality still eludes us, Congress Assistant General Secretary, Sally Anne Kinahan has told a gathering to mark International Women's Day.
Ms Kinahan said: "In the last 15 years, we have seen a doubling in the number of women at work, yet women remain over-represented in low-paid, part-time and atypical employment.
"In addition, the Gender Pay Gap persists, with women typically earning 86% of men's average hourly earnings - and this increases by up to two percent, when pensions and other benefits are included."
Ms Kinahan said it was ironic that these inequalities persisted, given that International Women's Day had originated with female trade unionists, in the United States, protesting at poor pay and conditions in the garment industry.
In addition, poor public service provision also impacted most heavily on women, particularly in terms of childcare. "Ireland has one of the lowest levels of publicly funded childcare and the most expensive private childcare. We are also one of the few EU members that does not provide paid parental leave, making it a privilege rather than a right.
"As child caring and rearing responsibilities most often fall on women, these major gaps in service provision frequently result in women being forced to sacrifice career for family.
"We have experienced huge economic growth in recent times, but to what end? The purpose of increased prosperity must be to build a better, more inclusive and equal society- otherwise, it is both meaningless and unsustainable," Ms Kinahan said.
Meanwhile, to mark International Womens' Day, Congress and Siptu have jointly launched Postcards of Pioneers, pack of twelve postcards depicting some of the women pioneers of the labour and trade union movement.
Speaking at the launch, Siptu General Secretary Joe O'Flynn said: "Women have played a central role in the struggle for equality since the 1913 Lockout and have never been given the recognition they deserve.
"It's been over 30 years since equality legislation was first introduced and less than half of all women workers are in occupational pension schemes and the gender pay gap remains. In the new Liberty Hall, Siptu hopes to be in a position to give further expression to the role of women in the trade union movement."
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