EU road map to equality among workers

The initiative taken by the Spanish presidency to address the problem of inequality that exists in the European Union, in conjunction with the next presidencies of Hungary and Belgium, to build a road map towards equality is very positive.

Żminijietna believes that to achieve this goal, workers must first militate towards a social and ecological Europe not a neo-liberal Europe; and give specific importance to women in respect of equality. The existing inequalities are being reinforced through the current economic system, including those between women and men.

Feminisation of poverty, where woman is at a high risk of poverty is also a European reality. We believe that the new EU strategy on gender equality, should address various issues of women's poverty and job precariousness if we want women's rights to be strengthened. Part-time work not by choice, defined contracts and agency workers, are all precarious jobs in which workers, including women, are being denied their basic rights such as maternity leave, a decent pay, security, further training and other work benefits.

Gender equality is an integral part of social justice. Non-governmental organisations should push for a social policy agenda that ensures equal rights for everyone to allow everyone to live with dignity, have a decent wage and secure employment, equal educational opportunities, accessibility to culture, recreational areas and sports facilities. Millions of European people are living in poverty and others are at risk of becoming poor, a disproportionate number of those are women, children, migrants and old people.