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.