Gains in equality must avoid trap of complacency

‘UNCONSCIOUS gender bias’ is one of many problems faced by women in business according to The National Strategy for Women and Girls’ which was published in April 2017. The document lays out a template for ways in which various forms of discrimination can be tackled of which the workplace is but one strategy.

But ’unconscious gender bias’ is a problem that poses inherent difficulties for women in business as often the discrimination no longer manifests itself in open forms of decision making but as part of a latent mentality which the person may not even be consciously aware of.

The document plans to ensure that gender equality is reflected in internal practices of business regarding all its employees. The report makes the valid point that while institutional mechanisms for equality and human rights have been consolidated, such as the establishment of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the Workplace Relations Commission, and the National Women’s Strategy 2016-2021, this is merely the backstop to the wider problem of gender inequality. In other words, the fight against inequality does not necessarily start at the top but at the bottom through better education, activation and integration measures.

For example, under the strategic direction of the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme, births to teenage mothers have halved over the past 14 years and now represent only 2% of all births. Likewise, the number of women in employment has already returned to the levels seen at Q3 of 2007, in spite of a downscale in the economy in recent years; as of February 2017, women now constitute 38% of board members, the highest percentage since a target of 40% was set in 1993.

Educational attainment rates for women have also seen an increase. In 2016, 83% of women aged 25-64 had completed at least upper secondary education compared to 71% in 2007.

However, the document warned against complacency and the notion that equality for women has already somehow been achieved. The report stated: “The key challenge is to retain an ambition for women’s equality in the context of competing demands for action on other equality issues. A mistaken impression that women’s equality has essentially been achieved has served to sap energy and attention from the issues still needing to be addressed. There is a renewed need to make the case, particularly among young women, for continued action on gender equality.”