The gloomy picture is that worldwide, notably in developing economies, too many women are still excluded from paid work, and many others do not make the best use of their skills; a state of affairs which stunts economic growth.

Stereotypes

Responding to the main question, 'how can women's resources be better utilised by societies?' Naema Tahir, human rights lawyer at the Council of Europe and writer, spoke about how women firstly need women to liberate themselves from "damaging stereotypical images".

For instance women in Muslim societies may have the freedom of choosing whether to wear a veil or not, but it becomes a sign of "how women show they feel free to be obliged to wear a veil."

It's all about how are women expected to behave according to male-defined conditions, especially in developing economies, said Tahir. "Women are not expected to rise to the top, so they rise to these expectations of not rising. Women instead bear the burden of motherhood and childbearing," she said.

Over- not under-used

Nick Isles, director of advocacy and marketing at The Work Foundation argued that rather than being over-utilised, women are the most overused resource in the world.

"Are women purely economic agents?" he asked, noting that women are fully utilised if we also look at social, cultural, emotional spheres.

He pointed out that in developed countries 75 percent of households have a dual income, the employment rate of women is 70 percent in the EU, which already exceeds the Lisbon target of a 60 percent rate by 2010. What's more, 25 to 55 percent of women with children under five go back to work. 

Isles predicted that in five to ten years time, things will be very different (although he didn't say how such a swift change will come about).

Male dominance in the marketplace

Heleen Mees, columnist and co-founder of the 'Women on top organisation' can only see the upside of more women getting "out there".

"The gender gap hinders economic growth," she said, while economic growth decreases the gender gap.

Mees said that Europe's early break with patriarchy explains why Europe's economic growth is ahead of China's, however, within Europe there are many discrepancies across countries. 

For instance, surprisingly, in the Netherlands only 20 percent of women contribute to the Dutch economy. Heleen believes group dynamics and cloning behaviour in the Netherlands contribute to this state of affairs which assures continued male dominance in the marketplace. Mees said that Dutch society instils it in women to stay in middle management, not to go for the top.

This viewpoint reminds me of the words of Dutch politician and member of ABN Amro's Supervisory Board, Trude Maas-de Brouwer, who when focusing on the corporate governance debate in the Netherlands said: "A dominant male monoculture sets the wrong role models, hampers regaining trust and fuels the fear that a corporate world might stop being 'connected'."

If more women in the NL worked, this could increase the input to the economy by around 60 billion, said Mees.

Career choices

Thessa Sambou, author of 'Het boek der Godinnen' (The book of the
Goddesses) stated the obvious when she said that women do invisible backing work.

"Current feminism has simply added to tasks that women perform. Career women have postponed kids to their detriment," she said, adding that Women who have had kids improve their intelligence, which caused a ripple of both outrage and agreement from the mostly female audience. Sambou believes that society should make it easy for women to go back to university after having children as this would encourage them to have children earlier.

Sambou also believes that the over-consumption of fast food, which the food industry imposes on our society and which busy working parents embrace readily, is damaging our children's health.

She notes that the implicit part of upbringing cannot be replaced and children need an available parent and should not be sacrificed to a 'latch key economy'.

"Raising children should be looked at as a career choice for both sexes and young families should be adequately cared for by society. Don't forget that there are career-oriented and domestic oriented women. Why should women feel compromised?" said Sambou.

Recognition and reward

The audience wasn't lost for words and comments and questions invited after the panel members gave their views ranged from rumbles of 'why should women have to make a choice at all?' through 'what now?' and 'How?'

One lady spoke for many when she said that the issue isn't about choice but rather about women being recognised and rewarded for the sort of work they do.  "Isn't it about the emphasis or value society puts on areas where women's energy is focussed, such as parenting?

"Women bring up children by necessity, with their sense of responsibility being exploited and their input being taken for-granted. Women don't have an optimal choice it is one of allocation. Waste is seen by some in economic terms," she said.

Another woman remarked that Germany in this respect is "pretty much stuck in the 1950's".

Responding to Thessa Sambou's viewpoint, a member of the audience asked why Sambou believes there are only two types of women. "Why is it so cut and dried? Isn't it because society itself is not adjusted to a balance?"

One pointed question, which the panel tiptoed around or perhaps didn't get a chance to address, was 'What policies would work to change the state of affairs?'

The debate isolated three main areas to tackle in the struggle for gender equality:  Combating discrimination, keeping 30 plus women in the workplace and moving up, and combating stereotypes.

I may not have learned anything new from the debate but I was reminded that the complexity of the gender issue in the developing world won't allow for any quick fix for 'progress' and even in developed economies change isn't brought about quickly. 

Instead, a feeling was reinforced. Rather than thinking we have to make a choice, we need to find a way.

Natasha Gunn
Editor Expatica
Netherlands

Want to reply? Send your email to feedback@expatica.com 

Further reading:
Europe calls for action on gender equality 
Legislation works for women but culture runs deep
Norway: Moving beyond tokenism
Gender issues in the global workplace
Women on assignment: An evolutionary perspective
Talent war could mean business for women

[Copyright Expatica 2007]