PERMANENT
MISSION OF
ESTONIA NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016
TO
THE UNITED NATIONS FAX:
(212) 883‑06.48
Statement by
H.E. Mrs. KATRIN SAKS
Minister for Population and
Ethnic
Affairs of the
Republic of Estonia
at the 23rd Special Session
of the
General Assembly of the
United Nations
entitled
"'WOE 2000: GENDER
EQUALITY, DEVELOPMENT AND
PEACE FOR THE TWENTY‑FIRST
CENTURY".
7 June 2000
NEW YORK
Mr. President
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
Gender equality is not
just a question of equality between two sexes, this is also a question of human
rights, democracy and the whole population development.
I would like to start
with the argument that in several spheres women actually manage much better
than men in Estonia.
1. An
average Estonian woman has generally a higher
educational level than an average Estonian man. From 20 ‑ 60 year old
Estonians 20% of women and only 14% of men have higher education.
Statistics
show that women are also in majority among those studying for the post‑graduate
degree.
2. Women live 10 years longer than men in Estonia.
3. Recent
surveys show that our young non‑married
women are better off than men ‑ they have a higher salary and the they are
more satisfied with their lives than men. Regarding the same group of people
who are ten years older we see a more traditional picture ‑ women's salaries
are 70% of the average, their total workload is as high as men's or even higher
and they are more concerned about themselves and the lives of their families
than men.
Unfortunately longer life‑time
does not always mean more satisfaction for women, higher educational level does
not often mean a higher status/position or better salary.
Therefore it is obvious that there is a need to change the
behaviour, attitudes, norms and values which define and influence gender roles.
To change them through education, media, arts, culture and science.
The stereotype of a traditional role of
a woman as a home keeper and, mother as well as motherhood itself are the main
obstacles to equality. If the choice between the family and work has to be
made, there are more women who choose family.
(A recent study in
Estonia showed how widowers with children have changed their lifestyles. Many
men reported that they feel time constraints more strongly ‑ there was no time
to spend long evenings with friends or to stay longer at work, they have become
more like average women. When speaking about sharing equal load outside home: a
woman takes full responsibility of a housekeeping.)
The second important
obstacle is attitude. Mainly
attitudes are ground for discrimination ‑ especially at the labor market. Men
have nothing against a higher salary and less housework to do. The survey has
proved that almost every fourth man considers the traditional division of
housework to be normal.
Women in turn often act
according to the expectations of men. They are afraid of asking a higher salary
or take on a more responsible position or force men to become more involved in
housekeeping.
When talking about eguality ‑ we sometimes feel that the key of
equality is in men's hands.
As in most modern
societies there has been a sharp fall of birth rates in Estonia as well. This
is the women's response to increased stress and tension. Estonia has one of the
lowest fertility rates in the world (1,2). Why many women do not have children
any more? As having children is not a social norm any more and family burden,
fertility becomes more selective. Having the right partner is a very important
factor in childbearing. After the economic and housing reasons this is the
third reason why women in Estonia prefer not to have children. That means ‑ to
have more children we should teach men how to cope with the democratic
lifestyle in society and in the family.
The attitudes concerning
gender equality are changing ‑ free‑mindedness is spreading among the younger
generation ‑ new views on stereotypes are especially common among younger women
(about 25% of them find that domestic work should be more equally divided
between men and women, whereas only 7% of men share this opinion). In future,
special stress should be put on training younger men, using different methods
to achieve a real change in mentality.
This is what I had in
mind saying that for Estonia the key of equality is in men's hands. The key is
in men's attitudes not only to the new roles of women but mainly to their own
roles in life.
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
Having
spoken so far about the problems I'd now like to speak about the progress we
have made so far and how the role of women in the Estonian society has grown.
In
this context I would like to stress the important and supportive role of UNDP
in this process.
The role women play in politics has increased (but it is not
sufficient yet):
In 1999 a big step has
been taken in treating women equally in politics. More women have been elected
to parliament and they received more votes than ever. There are 18 women among
the 101 members of the Estonian Parliament. At the elections of local councils
in 1999 28% of those elected were women. Two of the fifteen cabinet ministers
are ladies. A good example here is the role women have in our foreign service.
From this year one fourth of the Estonian ambassadors are going to be women.
I would like to stress
here the ability of co‑operation among female politicians. It is remarkable.
The Association of Parliamentary Women was created in 1998. It brought together
all female deputies from different parties. In the parliament, the group serves
as a watchdog and supporter of gender‑related legislation.
Several political Round
Tables of women ware established (in 1998 and such Round Tables were also
established regionally) during 1998‑1999.
Equality
politics is carried out by various institutions.
The Bureau of Equality within the Ministry of Social Affairs
(established in 1996) is acting in close co‑operation with different national
and international institutions (and networks established before and after the
Beijing Conference on Women.)
There has been
established the Women's Training Centre, two women studies centres, lots of
seminars, training courses were organised supported also by UNDP, ILO and the
Nordic Council of Ministers.
Within international co‑operation
Estonia has participated in a Nordic‑Baltic working group and Femina Baltica
network. Lot of materials about equality issue have been prepared in Estonian
language.
We have observed
the remarkable growth of women's organisatsions
The growing broad political interest in gender issues is
also very important. A couple of
months ago the Cabinet decided to give its consent to the creation of the
Estonian Gender Equality Law, admitting that the situation needs to be
regulated on a legal level ‑ a serious step towards recognition of the
existence of the problem on the governmental level. This does not immediately
entail a change in the public opinion, but it certainly is a landmark in the
overall development of gender equality in Estonia.
Besides prohibiting
discrimination; the Act would allow certain positive measures to promote the
situation of underrepresented gender group. The authorities would be obliged to
promote equality between men and women.
New challenges and remaining obstacles
We must combine
strategies to face new situations (globalisation, eurointegration, free trade)
with old issues that are still very much alive. Issues like the pay gap, a
strongly segregated labour market, few women in decisionmaking positions,
domestic violence and stereotype images of women and men remain on the gender
equality agenda.
It must be a holistic
approach to achieve equality, which includes an open discussion about gender
roles of men for finding new ways to define masculinity.
Training in the field of
gender equality is the key factor of further development. This activity has to
be based on social science research, the expertise of specialists and the data
necessary to monitor social processes.
The arise of fathers'
movement and the beginning of men‑research in Estonia proves that the formation
of new institutions action‑oriented both to men and women, has had great
impact.
We ‑ women never achieve
anything if we try to solve only our own problems. The problems must be solved
together, by men and women, and in a way that will satisfy both parties.