Women and the New Information Society
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Summit document
FINAL
A5-0279/2003
15 July 2003
REPORT
Regarding Women in the New Information Society
(2003/2047(INI))
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
Rapporteur: Ms. Anna Karamanou.
Women in the New Information Society
P5_TA-PROV(2003)0485
A5-0279/2003
Resolution of the European Parliament on Women in the New Information Society (2003/2047(INI))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Articles 2, 3(2), and 141(4) of the EC Treaty,
– having regard to the Lisbon Strategy and the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council on 23 and 24 March 2000 with the aim of building a knowledge society in Europe(1),
– having regard to the conclusions of the Stockholm European Council on 23 and 24 March 2001(2),
– having regard to the conclusions of the Barcelona European Council on 15 and 16 March 2002(3),
– having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on the integration of gender issues into development cooperation(4),
– having regard to Council Regulation (EC, ECSC, Euratom) No 781/98 of 7 April 1998 amending the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities, in relation to issues of equal treatment(5),
– having regard to Directive 2002/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 amending Directive 76/207/EEC of the Council on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions(6),
– having regard to Council Decision 2001/63/EC of 19 January 2001 on the guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States for 2001(7),
– having regard to Commission Decision 2000/407/EC of 19 June 2000 on the balanced participation of both sexes in the committees and expert groups it establishes(8),
– having regard to its resolution of 3 July 2001 on the Commission’s communication to the Council and the European Parliament: ‘Strategy Framework for Gender Equality – Work Programme for 2001’(9),
– having regard to the Commission’s communication to the European Parliament and the Council of 3 February 2003: ‘Strategy Framework for Gender Equality – Work Programme for 2003’ (COM(2003) 47),
– having regard to its resolution of 3 February 2000 on the Commission’s communication entitled ‘Women and Science – Mobilizing Women to Enrich European Research’(10),
– having regard to the resolution of the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 17 December 1999, on the employment dimension and the social dimension of the information society(11),
– having regard to the Council’s resolution of 20 May 1999 on women and science,(12),
– having regard to its resolution of 16 September 1997 on the Commission’s communication entitled: ‘Incorporating equal opportunities between women and men into all Community policies and objectives – mainstreaming’ (13),
– having regard to the Commission’s communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions of 7 June 2000: Towards a Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2001-2005) (COM(2000) 335),
– having regard to the Commission’s annual report on equal opportunities between men and women in the European Union for 2002, presented to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions, on 5 March 2003 (COM(2003) 98),
– having regard to the Commission’s communication of 21 November 2001 on the creation of a European Area of Lifelong Learning (COM(2001) 678),
– having regard to its resolution of 15 May 2001 on the Commission’s communications regarding the initiative and action plan 2001-2004 ‘eLearning – Thinking about the Education of Tomorrow’ (14),
– having regard to its resolution of 15 May 2001 on the Commission’s report to the Council and the European Parliament entitled: ‘Thinking about the Education of Tomorrow – Promoting Innovation with New Technologies’ (15),
– having regard to the Commission’s report of 31 January 2001 entitled ‘Specific Future Objectives of Education Systems’ (COM(2001) 59),
– having regard to the Commission’s communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions of 28 May 2002: eEurope 2005 – An Information Society for All (Action Plan for the 2002 Sevilla European Council) (COM(2002) 263),
– having regard to the Commission’s communication to the Member States of 14 April 2000, establishing the guidelines for the Community initiative EQUAL (16), and more specifically to the 4th pillar of the programme which aims to reconcile family and work life, reduce the gender pay gap, and combat discrimination in the workplace,
– having regard to the conclusions of the 47th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March 2003 regarding the participation and access of women to the media, and information and communication technologies and their impact and use as a means for the advancement and empowerment of women (17),
– having regard to the ongoing preparations for the World Summit on the Information Society, which will take place in December 2003 and 2005 (18), as well as for the World Conference on Women (Beijing + 10),
– having regard to the documentation of the International Conference ‘Itech Women’ held in Vienna in October 2001 (19),
– having regard to the report ‘Electronic Commerce and Development’ of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (Geneva 2002)(20),
– having regard to the documentation of the meeting of the expert group, which was organized by the United Nations Task Force on Information and Communication Technologies in November 2002, regarding the progress and empowerment of women(21),
– having regard to the publication by Eurostat: ‘The Life of Women and Men in Europe – A Statistical Portrait: Data 1980-2000’,
– having regard to the statistics available on the Internet regarding women and science(22),
– having regard to the policy guidelines set by the European Council of Nice and the commitments undertaken to improve access to lifelong learning and training, particularly in the field of new technologies(23),
– having regard to the conclusions of the informal ministerial meeting in Athens on the topic ‘Gender and the Information Society’ on May 6, 2003(24),
– having regard to Article 163 of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A5-0279/2003),
A. Considering that globalization and information and communication technologies (ICT) have radically changed all sectors of working and social life in Europe and are in continuous evolution,
B. Considering that the current policy framework for the development of new information and communication technologies has primarily focused on economic aspects, and the control of these technologies has essentially been left to the private sector, without any evaluation of their social impact or the inherent political incentives for equal rights of women and men to acquire the necessary skills for the ‘knowledge society’; this approach leads to a misguided perception regarding the open participation of all,
C. Considering that the traditional approach to new ICTs is based on an economic, professional, and technical reasoning, and on the mistaken belief that participation is open to all,
D. Considering that the information society and access to ICTs are considered gender-neutral, without inherent structural gender-based discrimination,
E. Considering that the development of new information technologies takes place without the real participation of women in the decision-making process,
F. Considering that the proposed policies for the information society do not address any gender issues and do not recognize the unequal outcomes for men and women,
G. Considering that the emerging risk of social exclusion due to the inability to use ICTs, the so-called digital illiteracy, largely affects women,
H. Considering that the representation and participation of women journalists in positions of administrative responsibility in the media sector is insufficient, as evidenced by the fact that women’s issues are often neglected and an image that does not reflect the real role of women is frequently portrayed,
I. Considering that the emergence of ICTs has also had an impact on consumers, particularly the rise of electronic commerce, in which women control the majority of consumer spending,
J. Considering that studies and data show a persistent gender imbalance in ICTs in relation to education and employment positions related to ICTs, to the disadvantage of women,
K. Considering that the right to participate in the information society must allow women to fully play their role as agents in shaping the future society,
L. Considering that educational and professional systems in most European countries tend to perpetuate the biases and stereotypes of ICT professions and the ICT industry, with discouraging levels of female participation in ICT studies (below 20%), and even lower for women starting their own businesses, as well as for women in positions of responsibility and creativity in this field,
M. Considering that 60% of the new job opportunities over the past five years are in the ICT sector, where there is a clear gender divide and a disproportionate percentage of women are employed in the lowest-paying positions; considering that the current economic development of new technologies exacerbates the differences between women and men and intensifies the structural weakness that maintains this gap,
N. Considering that, although the Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development sets a target of a minimum 40% participation for each gender, women make up only 14.5% of new entrepreneurs in the multimedia and information sector,
O. Considering that both the private and public sectors have the responsibility to ensure gender equality by promoting the participation of both genders,
P. Considering that the underrepresentation of women in science and the ICT sector hinders the achievement of the Lisbon objectives,
Q. Considering that Europe continues to face the underrepresentation of women in science and the ICT sector and does not fully leverage its human resources and potential, resulting in an inability to reduce the gap in innovation and economic competitiveness compared to the United States,
R. Considering that, while the rapid development of ICTs is internationally recognized as the most important factor for the development of any nation and new technologies offer a new opportunity arising from globalization, women are often the least able to take advantage of these opportunities,
S. Considering that it is of paramount importance to give due attention to shaping parameters for the participation of women in the world of ICTs, not only within the existing member states of the Union but also in the new member states, including Bulgaria and Romania,
1. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop policies, with adequate financial support, aimed at the participation of women – both young and older – in all areas related to new ICTs, with the goal of making the information society gender-balanced;
2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the full participation of women in the programming and decision-making of information society policies, and to promote the full and equal participation of women in the media, including in the areas of management, programming, education, training, and research;
3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to pay special attention to women at risk of being excluded from the benefits of the information society, such as elderly women, unemployed and low-income women, migrants, women from ethnic minorities, and women with disabilities, in order to prevent the emergence of a two-speed society and provide them with the opportunity to participate in easily accessible ICT courses in their areas of residence;
4. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to conduct gender-based assessments of the impacts of policies on new ICTs; emphasizes that priority should be given to evaluation and support programs that are promoted by and intended for women;
5. Calls on the Commission to systematically collect data on structural differences in the ICT sector, disaggregated by gender, in the fields of education and the labor market (education level and type of training, types of employment positions and seniority, degrees and salaries);
6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the widespread use of information and communication tools by women, in order to enhance the effectiveness of strategies for promoting gender equality, such as awareness campaigns, encouragement of network creation, leveraging opportunities in the ICT sector, supporting equal participation in social and public life, and eliminating biased stereotypes;
7. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to prioritize the empowerment of women in ICTs and the creation of businesses by women, as well as to support financial instruments that specifically provide loans to women entrepreneurs;
8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to implement gender equality policies that specifically target professional training, lifelong learning, work-life balance, and the equal distribution of family responsibilities between men and women, which will facilitate women’s participation in the information society;
9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to commit – with full use of the structural funds, specifically the European Social Fund – to ICT training, particularly regarding entry or re-entry into the labor market (unemployed women, retraining initiatives), always within the framework of the Lisbon objective for employment participation rates;
10. Calls on the Council and the Commission to develop benchmarks and standards, based on gender equality, which should be followed throughout the communications sector, including the images portrayed in advertisements, the media, and the internet;
11. Calls on the Member States to promote the integration of ICTs in primary education from an early age so that girls develop a more natural relationship with ICTs and to create a counterbalance, in relation to these technologies, to the gender stereotypes they are likely to develop later in life.
12. Calls for democratic and transparent management of ICT policies at the European and national levels, with the aim of ensuring timely information, low-cost access, and effective use by all citizens;
13. Calls on the Council and the Commission to outline a strategy aimed at ensuring widespread infrastructure for providing home access, equipment, and connectivity, as well as increasing public investments by prioritizing quality internet access structures for schools, libraries, and other spaces frequented by young women, particularly in rural areas and suburbs (which currently lack in this area), in the poorest regions, and in candidate countries;
14. Calls on the Council and the Commission to continue existing policies and initiatives for integrating the gender dimension in order to address the underrepresentation of women in education in the ICT fields, by implementing a gender-sensitive approach across all educational sectors at all levels, focusing on the new role of ICTs in daily life, the labor market, and initiatives to combat stereotypes concerning young women in ICT-related jobs.
15. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to commit to the following:
a) to integrate specialized ICT training for women into a broader process of collaboration among all stakeholders: educational authorities and organizations, school and career orientation, private and public sector, educational organizations, funding bodies, central and/or regional and/or local authorities, equal opportunity organizations, businesses, women’s groups or associations;
b) to reorganize school, university, and career orientation services in such a way that they actively reach out to those interested, rather than waiting for them to approach, and to encourage the participation of girls in higher education, particularly in the technical and technological fields;
c) to encourage the participation of women and girls in specialized ICT courses, by providing more decentralized and widely distributed education and training facilities;
d) to develop awareness and information measures in order to provide women and those around them with images of women engaging in non-traditional activities, particularly those related to ICT;
e) to encourage greater participation of girls in various systems of initial vocational training outside the school educational system, particularly through practical training in the field of ICT, and to adjust or, if necessary, eliminate those types of training for women that do not provide real professional qualifications or lead girls into traditionally female or saturated occupations;
16. emphasizes the importance of the role of social partners in promoting gender equality and equal treatment in employment, by encouraging the promotion of women to higher positions, lifelong training, collaboration with the educational system, and the modernization of educational content in order to facilitate the transition from school to active life, with the use of new forms of e-learning;
17. calls on the Commission and the Council to submit specific strategic proposals and to contribute to the inclusion of horizontal policies for gender equality in the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society, which will be held in Geneva in December 2003;
18. calls on the Commission and the Council, within the framework of the EU’s development policies and those of the Member States, to give due attention to the fact that the education of women and girls is recognized as a highly sustainable form of development in developing countries, particularly with regard to the benefits of ICT for women and especially in the new forms of information transfer in the fields of health, (sexual) education, food production, and environmental knowledge;
19. calls on the Commission to promote programs and projects in developing countries for the creation of networks of women in ICT, with the aim of strengthening the economic capacity of women, which, in combination with new technologies, will lead to a more active participation of women in shaping the new economy and society and will help women and their families overcome poverty;
20. calls on the Commission to study, together with representatives from the sector, how technology and ICT products could be made available, as cheaply as possible, on a large scale in developing countries, fully taking into account the potential for local production, with the aim of avoiding a gap between the few who can afford expensive technology and the many who cannot.
21. calls on the Commission, within the framework of funding programs for candidate countries and, after their accession to the Community in 2004, within the framework of the Structural Funds, to give higher priority to educational and vocational programs that provide unemployed women with ICT opportunities in order to increase their chances in the labor market;
22. instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the governments of the Member States and candidate countries.
(1) http://ue.eu.int/el/Info/eurocouncil/index.htm.
(2) http://ue.eu.int/el/Info/eurocouncil/index.htm.
(3) http://ue.eu.int/el/Info/eurocouncil/index.htm.
(4) EE L 354 of 30.12.1998, p. 5.
(5) EE L 113 of 15.4.1998, p. 4.
(6) EE L 269 of 5.10.2002, p. 15.
(7) EE L 22 of 24.1.2001, p. 18.
(8) EE L 154 of 27.6.2000, p. 34.
(9) ΕΕ C 65 Ε of 14.3.2002, p. 43.
(10) EE C 309 of 27.10.2000, p. 57.
(11) EE C 8 of 12.1.2000, p. 1.
(12) EE C 201 of 16.7.1999, p. 1.
(13) EE C 304 of 6.10.1997, p. 50.
(14) EE C 34 Ε of 7.2.2002, p. 153.
(15) EE C 34 Ε of 7.2.2002, p. 143.
(16) EE C 127 of 5.5.2000, p. 2.
(17) http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw47/AC-mediaICT-auv.PDF
(18) http://wsis.itu.int
(19) http://www.europaforum.or.at/HomepageITECHwomen/hauptframe.htm
(20) http//r0.unctad.org/ecommerce/docs/edr02_en/ecdr02.pdf.
(21) http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/media2002/reports/EGMFinalReport.PDF.
(22) http://secure.eubusiness.com.
(23) http://ue.eu.int/Newsroom/LoadDoc.asp?BID=76&DID=64245&from=&LANG=1.
(24) http://www.eu2003.gr//en/articles/2003/5/6/2680/.