Remarks by Minister Killeen at the Launch of Leadership Initiative for females in Trade Unions (LIFT), EQUAL Development Partnership

At The Gresham Hotel, Dublin 1

EQUAL Partnership approach

The Development Partnership approach, which is a key feature of EQUAL, is also the key to its success. The opportunities to influence policy are greatly enhanced by groups and organisations working together on a common agenda. In that regard, EQUAL and the ESF have been significant factors in building relationships between Community & Voluntary Groups, the private sector and the State sector. I know that the Social Partners, who are involved directly in some of the projects, are enthusiastic about the Programme’s potential for demonstrating new approaches or adapting existing approaches in new areas.

The aim of this project is to identify women who are already involved in Union activities and through the implementation of the project, to bring about the conditions for them to achieve higher level of responsibilities and authority. It will also support women who are interested in running for leadership posts and provide the skills and training necessary to be successful candidates. The close involvement of the three partners, the NCPP, the IPA and the ICTU should help to provide the impetus for real collaboration in addressing the issues of women’s under-representation in decision making and in leadership roles. This will be particularly relevant in the context of the demands and challenges facing the workplaces of the future.

Addressing the Challenges

A range of initiatives and measures are being implemented to address women’s under-representation and participation at managerial and decision-making levels in all sectors of our economy and society. The Government is committed, for example, to achieving a minimum target of 40% representation of both men and women on State Boards. Women currently constitute 30% of State Board nominees and 36% of Government nominees covering the State Boards set up under Government Departments. Progress on this issue is reported to Government at six monthly intervals. The NDP Gender Equality Unit in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform continues to monitor and support the implementation of the gender mainstreaming strategy across the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Other initiatives such as the Equality for Women measure, the FAS Gateways Initiative, The Women in Business Initiative, and the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, provide good models and best practices in tackling these issues.

However, we still have some way to go in tackling the gaps in pay and under-representation by women at the top. Significant gender gaps still persist in terms of employment, pay, and, of course, in terms of career progression. A balanced participation by women and men in decision-making, in the economy, in politics and in social partner structures is vital to developing equality and democracy. In terms solely of fairness, women should have the same right as men to advance in the labour market according to their qualifications. This is what equal opportunities are about but I believe that gender equality in decision-making is important for several other reasons. We need women's skills, knowledge and ability. The goal of making the EU the world's most dynamic and competitive economy, capable of sustainable economic growth, with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion is a challenging one. If we are to reach this objective, I believe that it is essential that women participate fully in all areas and at all levels of our economic, social and political life.

It is a fact that young women are now surpassing their male equivalents in terms of educational achievements. This investment in education should not be squandered. We need to make the best use of our resources. However, the difficulties of combining family responsibilities and professional life continue.

Barriers to be overcome

There are several barriers which are militating against participation by women in the decision-making process. Negative stereotyping, biased recruitment and formalised promotion systems and discrimination are fundamental barriers. Reconciliation of professional and private life, especially through the provision of affordable, accessible and good quality childcare facilities, is one of the fundamental ingredients of national and the European employment policy. If we want to encourage women to work and take on leadership responsibilities, then we all need to step up our efforts and provide family friendly policies and workplaces. It is also especially important to encourage men to share family responsibilities equally with women in that regard. In fact it requires a multifaceted strategy and the coordinated action between Government, social partners and of course employers.

Nevertheless, the position of women in the labour market has improved considerably. Such achievement bodes well for future development. However, significant gender gaps still persist in terms of career progression. Certain characteristics and sectors of the labour market are still perceived as "female", and as a consequence are valued less. This is one of the reasons why women often find themselves relegated to lower paid sectors or to those areas of organisations that are seen as less strategic. This perpetuates inequality between women and men when it comes to career advancement and balanced participation by women and men in decision-making. Women should have the same opportunities to be able to enter the labour market and to get ahead on the basis of their competencies and qualifications.

Workplaces of the Future

We all have to recognise that our workplaces are changing and that appropriate policies and practices must be in place which can accommodate those changes. The modern workplace must be reflective of the diverse society in which it operates. Implementation of equal opportunities policies and practices to accommodate diversity is not only good for the competitiveness and productivity of firms but also good for social cohesion.

The report of the Forum on the Workplace of the Future, “Working to our advantage – a national workplace strategy”, which was published in March this year, provides a comprehensive framework that will assist workplaces to meet the challenge of enhancing Ireland’s economic competitiveness and performance. The Report represents the most in-depth assessment of our workplaces to date. It fulfils a commitment the Government made in both the Programme for Government and with the Social Partners in Sustaining Progress.

Therefore, in my role as Chairperson of the High Level Group charged with the implementation of the National Workplace Strategy, I am looking forward to progressing the implementation of the 42 recommendations, which comprise the National Workplace Strategy. The implementation Group has already agreed a framework that will progress the Strategy and drive it forward. In relation to work life balance, the Group recommended that “Work/life balance policies should continue to be promoted, consistent with individual business needs, in a manner that ensures that the careers of individuals who take up flexible arrangements are not adversely affected”. The strategy articulated the need for innovative and focused action on several key areas including leadership and management skills and workplace diversity. The Forum’s work also highlighted a persistent “opportunities divide” in the Irish workforce and mentioned, in particular, the situation of women and other under-represented groups. The barriers which they face are preventing them from fully participating in the workforce and from reaching their full potential. Overcoming those barriers is a huge challenge but I believe it is an agenda that needs to be moved forward.

Innovative approaches from EQUAL

It is extremely important that we reflect on practical examples, case studies and new research from both the public and private sectors which add to our understanding of how to address female participation in management and decision-making. New methods are available through projects which have been tested and will be tested under Programmes such as EQUAL and similar initiatives such as the Equality for Women measure and the FAS “Gateways” Programme.

The transfer of new learning is a key component of the EQUAL Programme. I hope that the “LIFT” project can find innovative solutions to fill the gaps that currently exist in mainstream policy provision which will respond to the specific needs of those targeted under the Initiative.

Too often, the learning from pilot and experimental Programmes is lost and not sufficiently explored by mainstream Agencies and organisations. I expect, therefore, that the solutions and the learning arising from the experimental work under this Programme and other initiatives under EQUAL will be shared with policymakers, the social partners and other relevant organisations and examined in a strategic way.

In that context, my Department, as managers of the EQUAL Programme, has established formal mechanisms, such as the EQUAL mainstreaming policy Group, to facilitate the shared learning and dissemination from the projects. I hope that the findings of the “LIFT” project will find general relevance to current leadership approaches, recruitment practices and the progression of women in the workplace and other organisations.

Concluding Comments

In conclusion, I wish to complement the LIFT Development Partnership and the constituent partners for setting up this partnership to address this very important issue. Significant challenges remain in embedding within organisations a real commitment to diversity and equality of opportunity for women. Many organisations have yet to deal with these aspects in a strategic way which could enhance decision-making and leadership. We need to continue to use partnership in order to improve access to workplace opportunities and to increase the participation by women in particular.

The Initiative, which your partnership is developing, will contribute towards achieving my Department’s objectives in these areas and will complement other strategies and initiatives being developed to help build a capacity for change.

Best wishes go to all those connected with the Programme, present and future participants and beneficiaries, and I look forward to successful and productive outcomes to the Programme.

I look forward to the future evaluation of the Project and being informed about relevant lessons emerging and I wish you well in your future work.

ENDS/LA158