Efforts to encourage Lithuanian female workers are finally gaining momentum, as the European Institute For Gender Equality is opening in Vilnius and new projects on promotion of gender diversity and integration of women into labor market are launched.
An international conference-seminar “New Opportunities of Gender Equality and Diversity Planning at Workplace” took place in Vilnius on Sept. 24. A project on gender equality and diversity (GED) promotion is implemented by the Office of Equal Opportunities, coordinated by Social Innovation Fund, and involves different foreign and national partners.
Birutė Vėsaitė, a member of Seimas, rejoiced that the ranking of Lithuania is “quite high and higher than the EU average” as regards political representation. It is not a surprise as positions of the President, the minister of finance, and recently, the parliament speaker are filled by females.
However, the MEP admitted that the country is in 24th place considering professional segregation and regretted with heavy sarcasm that Lithuania has “the best paternity system in the world.”
Indeed, the Lithuanian system on paternity/maternity allowances has been so far very generous. Mothers receive an allowance equal to 100 percent of their pay during the first year, and 85 percent of their pay during the second year of maternity leave. Moreover, if a mother has another child during the period of two years, the maternity leave and payment of allowances can be prolonged for yet another two years.
However, the critics of this system, Vėsaite included, claim that because of this extra-generosity Lithuanian women are not viewed seriously by the employers and face difficulties in re-integrating the labor market after long maternity leaves.
Fathers can also take use of paternity leave, and since 2007 the numbers of fathers taking use of their rights have increased from two to six percent, claimed Vėsaitė. The recent numbers are not yet available but a further increase could be anticipated.
Finish Ambassador Marja-Liisa Kiljunen, one of the few female ambassadors in Vilnius, rejoiced that the European Institute of Gender Equality is finally being established in Vilnius, the result of the women’s movement in many countries of Europe.
Finland and other countries’ policies on GED can work as great examples for Lithuanian initiatives, hoped various experts from Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
For instance, any company employing more than 30 workers in Finland must have a gender equality and diversity plan. It is suggested that Lithuania would adopt a similar policy and require to have such plan in case of more than 50 workers in a company.
Up-and-coming women encouraged
More projects related to integration into labor market are launching or continuing this year, aimed at women in different regions of Lithuania. The Women Information Center is continuing its project “Let’s Do Business,” which promotes self-confidence and leadership competences of women in all 10 regions of Lithuania.
The New Generation Women’s Initiatives (NGWI) launched a new project “MoM: mobile moms — new generation workers” aimed at integration of women into labor market in 20 Lithuania’s regions. An information center MoM is being established, connecting support clubs of mothers, offering a thorough database on flexible jobs, and inviting employers and women to various job-markets.
“One of the ways [for integration] is through mutual help, when women help each other by discussing and solving problems that are relevant to them” said Julija Mažuolienė, the head of NGWI.
Mažuolienė underlined that at the time of crisis and when there is a lack of jobs, it is not enough to try to find a job; entrepreneurship is the key and women should strive to create workplaces themselves.
It is the right time for the women to take the lead, are certain the representatives of women organizations in Lithuania.
“At the time of crisis, men are startled by responsible posts, while women take up the responsibility and bravely undertake responsible positions” said Mažuolienė.
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