Description
Despite intense legal and political efforts to enforce gender equality, various forms of gender discrimination still persists. The project addresses the issue of how social partners can promote gender equality, especially by introducing this issue into collective agreements. Target groups are social partners, employers and workers, including working fathers, and the general public. The main objectives of the project are to enhance knowledge and raise awareness about the importance of work-life measures which support gender equality and enhance company performance, as well as to introduce new, innovative measures which address current challenges (active fatherhood, ageing of population, more women in leading positions etc.). The project will strengthen bilateral contacts between the Norwegian and the Slovenian social partners by promoting exchange of experiences and good practices as regards gender equality in collective negotiations. The educational module and workshops will be prepared as well as the model regulation of work-life measures which can be used by social partners in their future collective negotiations.
Summary of project results
Despite intense legal and political efforts to enforce gender equality in practice, different forms of gender discrimination still persists. The project addressed a challenge how social partners can promote gender equality, especially by introducing this issue into collective agreements. Research findings have been published and can be used in future researches. The educational module with study materials can be used for future workshops, work-life balance measures which were gathered and developed within the project can be used by social partners in their future collective bargaining. The main objectives of the project were to raise knowledge and awareness of social partners about the importance of work-life balance measures which support gender equality, to promote new, innovative measures as well as to gather and disseminate examples of good practices in this regard. The outcome of the project was: increased understanding of gender equality as well as of unequal relations of power between men and women in practice; higher capability of social partners for the inclusion of gender equality perspective into collective agreements; better understanding of new challenges, such as active fatherhood, ageing of population etc. Social partners involved in the project are signatories of many collective agreements, which cover at least 60% of all employees in Slovenia. Main outputs delivered in the project were: a research which analysed t collective agreements in Slovenia and the role of social partners in promoting gender equality; identification of work-life balance measures in Norwegian collective agreements and exchange of good practices; educational module; model of work-life balance measures for future collective bargaining; publications and other dissemination forms, such as conference, round table, seminar, articles published in media etc. Main beneficiaries, i.e. social partners actively participated in the project – main employers’ organisation and trade-union at the national level were partners in the project. Social partners benefited from all activities in the project and can use this in their future collective bargaining. The project strengthened bilateral contacts between the Norwegian and the Slovenian social partners and enabled the exchange of experiences and good practices as regards gender equality in collective bargaining.
Summary of bilateral results
Norwegian partner delivered a very useful study on work-life balance measures and gender equality in Norwegian collective agreements which was used in other project activities. International conference was organised together with the Norwegian partner. Norwegian partner participated in the project and this partnership strengthened links between the Norwegian and the Slovenian social partners and researchers in the area of gender equality. Norway has a long tradition of developed social dialogue and collective bargaining and, therefore, such exchange of knowledge is very useful for the Slovenian social partners and future collective bargaining in Slovenia.