Covid shows we need more women at the top
THIS week’s new and comprehensive report from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) quoted this stark headline at the launch of their 2020 edition of their Gender Equality Index – ‘at the current pace of change, it will take the EU 60 years to achieve equality’.
‘Who Makes the Decisions’ was the title of a report from the National Women’s Council back in the 1980s. So how is Ireland doing in decision-making against the backdrop of a global pandemic?
Recent media coverage of Covid19 and the almost all-male line-up at Government press conferences, public health announcements and news bulletins has garnered widespread public attention. There was a public outcry when it emerged the decision to move the country to Level 5 was taken in a room where the decision-makers were all male. This once again led to discussions on female representation in Ireland – no surprise really given we have a Dáil consisting of 77.5% male representation and only six women at the Cabinet table. My own experience around the Cabinet table has taught me how important it is to have increased numbers of women in the room when critical decisions are being made. I never cease to be amazed with how comfortable men can be and indeed often appear to be unaware when there are mainly male decision-making voices in a room. Thankfully, recent outcries about all-male panels have begun to change this. Despite the lack of women in senior decision-making roles, it is always possible to be inclusive by using different criteria to ensure women are heard. Various initiatives should be taken to ensure that in public and private discussions women are present to ensure all lenses are taken into consideration.
It is simply not good enough that such important decisions for the future of our country are taken by men only. We have heard many superb female professionals and experts talking about Covid-19 over the last number of months but rarely on the high-profile platforms – what a terrible reflection on Irish society and our unfinished democracy.
In some EU member states we are seeing a backlash against gender equality. However, the good news is that Ireland has advanced by 6.8 points since 2010, with 72.2 points out of a hundred. As a result, we are marked 7th in the EU (still including the UK) for gender equality. Italy, France, Luxembourg and Malta are also all making good progress.
THE index tells us that we are one of the better EU countries on rankings in relation to power i.e. in senior decision-making roles. We are still only achieving 55.8 points out of 100 on this. Against the backdrop of Covid-19 it is certain that we need more women at senior levels.
Different decisions are made when women are around the table. Decisions that take account of the reality of women’s lives. I was reminded of this earlier this week when I read that a store in Wales had closed the sanitary items section as it was not deemed ‘essential’. This could only have happened because women were not involved in the decisionmaking process.
We know that women have been at the frontlines throughout the pandemic. Women make up 76% of healthcare workers in Europe, 93% of childcare workers and teachers aides, and 8% of cashiers. Without women at the decision-making table, those frontline workers’ needs are not fully taken into account. The reality of these experiences will not be reflected if women are not around the table.
Role modelling is critical for young girls – if girls cannot see it, they cannot be it. We must set real and implementable targets for women in politics and senior decision-making positions and monitor them closely. Now is the time to provide serious and determined leadership in this area. We cannot let this crisis pass us by with a clear absence of women in the public domain as the effects for future generations will be detrimental.
There is a lot of work to be done, but if we are to build an Ireland that best represents and responds to its citizens in all their diversity, we must diversify our decisionmaking structures today and not tomorrow.