Equal opportunities between Women & Men – 21/05/2015

Institutional Brakes and Psychological Resistance

Annik Houel

Professor Emeritus of Social Psy­chology – University of Lyon2.

Former responsible for gender equal­ity at the University Lyon 2, “Centre Louise Labé ”

Author of books on the situation of women

 

Despite considerable advances in law, situations of gender inequality are found in all industrialised countries due to mental resistance which remains more or less attached to traditional representations of masculinity and femininity.

These representations are embodied in a hierarchy dominated by male power, with wom­en finding themselves handicapped historically by being viewed solely in terms of their role as mothers. This constitutes the main obstacle to confronting the notorious glass ceiling.

An absence of equal policy opportunities is one of the recognised risk factors of work­place stress.

The policy of equal opportunity of the institution emphasises women’s accessibility to management posts, i.e. 40 % of these posts (currently 1471 Senior and Middle manage­ment posts are held mostly by men).

R&D supports this commitment but condemns the contemptthat the Commission seems to reserve to women colleagues who cannot or do not want access to manage­ment posts, particularly because of the difficulty of reconciling working and family life.

Against an almost non-existent personnel policy, our colleagues cannot have pretensions to genuine career prospects.

R&D, which is concerned about your working conditions, invites you to attend a confer­ence on Thursday, May 21, presented by Annik Houel.

Conference

Thursday 21 May 2015

12.45—14.30

CCP Room

JII 79 / Loi 80

For organizational reasons, may we ask you to confirm your participation by sending an email to : OSP-RD@ec.europa.eu .