18 July, the EU employment and equal opportunities commissioner Vladimir Spidla presented the European Commission plan of action aimed at closing the gender pay-gap. The plan proposes four points which include: 1) better application of existing law; 2) the pay gap be considered an ‘integral part’ of member states’ employment policies; 3) equal pay be promoted among employers; 4) an exchange of good practices across the EU. Closing the gender gap has been recognized as one of the key issues to be addressed in the ‘roadmap for equality between women and men 2006-2010’. More information is available here.

This publication released 30 October 2006 by International Labour Organisation, estimates that at least 400 million decent and productive employment opportunities will be needed in order to reach the full productive potential of today's youth. Young women and men are among the world’s greatest assets, but at the same time they face increasing difficulties when entering the labour force. As the name of the publication suggest it is of global, rather then regional nature but CEE (non EU)/CIS is one of the regions specifically covered by it. Consequently a reader can easily compare situation in this region to other regions covered in the report such as developed economies and EU. Further gender is one of the factors/indicators considered by the report. The report is available at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/strat/download/gety06en.pdf

The World Economic Forum published a report assessing the size of the gender gap in 58 countries: all 30 OECD countries and 28 (emerging markets). The report includes a ranking of countries according to the level of advancement of their female population. The study measures the extent to which women have achieved full equality with men in five critical areas: economic participation, economic opportunity, political empowerment, educational attainment, health and well-being. First five position in the ranking are taken by the Scandinavian countries. Among the CEE countries the highest overall rank went to Baltic Republics (Latvia -11, Lithuania-12, Estonia-15). Poland was 19 and Slovakia -21. More information and the full text of the report is available here.

Clean Clothes Campaign in cooperation with KARAT Coalition is implementing a project on ‘Improving work conditions of women working in clothing factories in Poland’. The improving work conditions project is a continuation of research conducted by KARAT and CCC in a 4 Polish garment factories in 2004 (link do raportu z tego researchu). The researchers investigate the observance of ILO standards related to: discrimination in employment, forced labour, child labour, excessive working hours, living wages, security of employment, occupational health and safety etc. The project is also aimed at improving of the working conditions of women employed in garment industry as well as increasing of the public awareness and disapproval of the conditions in which clothes are made in Poland. CCC runs similar project in other countries including CEE. More...

According to the annual report prepared by the European Commission focusing on the equal opportunities published on 14.02.2005 women on the labour market in European Union are still in worse situation than men. They are more often unemployed, even when they have employment on the average they wages are 16% percent lover. This is depicted the fact that women are better educated then men.
The Commission called on governments of the EU states to make it easier for women who have children, creating better childcare systems. This should aim at decreasing the differences on the labour marked between women and men and assisting both women and men in reconciling family life and work.

For full text of the report go to:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/news/2005/feb/gender_equ_rep_2005_en.html