Crisi i gènere (III): Un Green New Deal amb perspectiva de gènere / Crisis and Gender (III): A Green New Deal with a Gender Perspective
En el marc de l’el.laboració de l’informe que estic preparant per a la Comissió de Drets de les Dones i Igualtat (FEM) sobre Crisi i gènere, i tenint en compte que, per a mi, la sortida a l’actual combinació de crisis (econòmica, ambiental, social, institucional, financera, …) passa per apostar de manera clara i convincent per un Green New Deal, he volgut fer una reflexió prèvia en clau ‘Gènere i Green New Deal’. Efectivament, el Green New Deal ha esdevingut una mena de fórmula màgica que aspira a resoldre tots els problemes. El risc, però, és que de vegades els termes i els conceptes acaben essent víctimes del seu èxit i correm el risc de perdre de vista no només els seus orígens, sinó l’essència, dels mateixos. Ara que tothom, o gairebé tothom, parla de Green New Deal, és bo recordar com i per què va néixer aquest concepte i, especialment, què implica el seu ús, ambientalment, social, política i econòmica. Per altra banda, és bo entendre que apostar, com toca fer, per mesures marca ‘Green New Deal’, ens obliga a no perdre de vista tampoc altres ‘marques’, també molt necessàries, com la lluita per la igualtat d’oportunitats. En concret, la reflexió que adjunto a continuació, per a la qual he comptat amb la inestimable col.laboració de la meva col.laboradora Elisabeth Horstkötter, preten posar de manifest i corregir, en la mesura de les meves possibilitats, alguns d’aquests dèficits:
WORKING DOCUMENT: Gender aspects of the Green New Deal
The Green New Deal sets out a new direction for Europe and implies massive investment in education, science and research in green, future-oriented technologies in order to put Europe at the forefront of a global economic revolution[1].
The concept is very challenging but a key piece of the puzzle is missing – the gender aspect.
Green jobs = good for the environment, bad for women?
Initially the Green New Deal was perceived as a tool to get out of the triple crisis (economic recession, social injustice and the ecological crisis)[2] but it has evolved rapidly. Green Group debates now feature the Green New Deal within the context of a much broader scope including social, employment and regional policies.
In terms of jobs, the ecological conversion of the economy and the transition from so-called ‘sunset industries’ to low-carbon economy will create a huge demand for workers in skilled trades or professions. Filling the green collar jobs will require adequate training programs, re-training and education programmes.
Yet looking at the huge amount of studies available we discover that green jobs are almost entirely male dominated, especially in the alternative energy area. Women are strongly under-represented in the renewable sector and especially in science and technology-intensive jobs’[3].
A fair, just and equitable Green New Deal cannot afford women’s exclusion from the transition to the green economy, i.e. certain trades and professions, training and re-training. The EU Commission also recognised that ‘we need women in exactly the same sort of jobs as men’[4]. Thus without a focused effort, women will be chronically under-represented in or even excluded from the green economy and green collar jobs.
Women’s talent will boost the Green New Deal
Taking the Green European Manifesto seriously (investment in education, science, research) and being aware of the gender segregation in the labour market we cannot restrict the Green New Deal simply to the old vision of green collar jobs. It goes much further and covers a vast range of issues (education, services, health etc).
There are additionally two fundamental arguments of which the first is a question of principle: as equality between citizens is one of the Union’s fundamental values, men and women with equal skills should have equal access to all jobs, in the private and public sector alike. The second argument is very pragmatic: women’s potential is indispensible for the Green New Deal. Europe can no longer afford to neglect its female human resources by treating women as a back-up plan to boost the workforce only when economic conditions dictate the demand.
On average, 80.8% of young women (20-24) reached at least upper secondary school in the EU 27, compared to only 75.4% of young men. Women represent as much as 59% of university graduates. However, study fields continue to be greatly segmented with a low presence of women in computing, engineering and physics.
Women represent around 60% of tertiary graduates in law and in business and administration and are highly over-represented in journalism and information; humanities; health and welfare; education science[5].
Up to now barriers prevent women from using their full potential and gaining access to jobs and positions for which they are qualified. One of the main barriers to women’s employment and career advancement is the difficulty of balancing work and family life because women are still considered as those primarily responsible for looking after children and other dependents.
Ecological transformation meets work-life balance
In our recent discussions the Green New Deal developed towards a more comprehensive ‘blueprint’ for a new society with new social, human values and different regulatory modes[6].
Moving along this path we will discover that the Green New Deal provides us with the unique possibility of tying together the ecological modernisation of European societies with better work-life balance in which men and women equally share responsibilities in public and private domains, in economic political and family life.
Issues of reproductive work, care and social work have not been addressed properly in the Green New Deal. The ecological transformation of society, care policies and the provision of care services are intrinsically related to the GND and consequently to the achievement of equality between women and men.
In this sense we follow the UN approach that “the significance of care is part of the fabric of society and integral to social development. To overcome the gender bias that is deeply entrenched in systems of social protection and to make citizenship truly inclusive, care must become a dimension of citizenship with right that are equal to those that are attached to employment”[7].
Equality between men and women is therefore a Green New Deal topic in both social and political spheres. The current debate shows that we still have a long way to go to change attitudes. We will only achieve equality when we adopt adequate measures to prevent women from facing discrimination in society and the workplace – measures that also succeed in men taking up their share of domestic responsibilities.
[1] European Greens, A Green New Deal for Europe. Manifesto for the European Election Campaign 2009
[2] Green New Deal Working Group, notes taken during the meeting 15 July 2009 in Strx
[3] Renner, Michael; Sweeney, Sean; Kubit, Jill (2008): Green Jobs towards decent work in a sustainable, low-carbon world, Nairobi, page 309
[4] New Europe, Green Economy, Green Jobs, Interview with Nikolaus G. van der Pas, Director General 16 June 2008
[5] European Commission, Equality between women and men 2009, COM(2009) 77 final), page 3
[6] Green New Deal WG, Strx 15 July 2009, invitation
[7] UN, Research Institute for Soc Development: The Political and Social Economy of Care in a Development Context. Conceptual Issues, Research and Questions and Policy Option, Paper no. 3,
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