| Statement
by Edite Kalnina
NGO Coalition for Gender Equality in Latvia
To the Committee on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women
On the Initial Report of the Government of Latvia
31st CEDAW Session, New York, USA
12 July 2004
Distinguished Members of the CEDAW Committee,
I am speaking
here on behalf of the national NGO Coalition for Gender Equality
in Latvia. Copies of our shadow report have been made available
to the Committee members.
As Latvia acceded
to the EU in May 2004 the government has argued that EU standards
are of primary importance and international human rights agreements
like CEDAW are of secondary importance. This is a problem for the
promotion and protection of women’s rights because it is only in
the area of labor law that both direct and indirect forms of discrimination
are adequately addressed. Therefore, relegating CEDAW to second
class status weakens human rights protections available to women.
It is important
for a country newly acceding to the European Union to incorporate
the non-discrimination protections of CEDAW as the Latvian government
revises its laws in accord with the European Union. EU standards
do not reach all areas of life. The gender aspects of social protection
are inadequate.
I specifically
will talk on issue of the employment.
Research shows
that women are placed at a disadvantage before they enter the labor
market. Rates of employment and unemployment are about equal for
women and men in Latvia. Are women then not discriminated against
in the labor market? The answer, quite simply, is no. There is evidence
to suggest that women are discriminated against. Various studies
have highlighted the fact that serious discrepancies exist between
the wages women and men earn: on average, in private sector, women
earn 20 per cent less then men per month. It must be noted that
men are three times more then women employers and business owners.
Recent research showed that 73 per cent of women are primarily responsible
for all the domestic work in the household. This means women are
in fact employed in two full-time jobs.
Women do not
file complaints about discrimination in the labor market even when
they meet discrimination. Although under the Civil Procedure Law
any natural of legal person of age and having full legal capacity
may submit a claim to court to protect his/her rights that have
been violated, there are only 2 judgments of the national courts
concerning the violation of the principle of gender equality.
NGOs working
in the field of women’s rights reveal that women are afraid they
will be stigmatized if they turn to the court, and that there will
be negative consequences to their families and to their future employment
prospects.
Another obstacle
for women to make a complaint is that persons do not have sufficient
support and protection when they make a complaint, as there are
no government structures such as specific ombudsmen for gender equality.
Neither there is a Gender Equality Act, or other specific law on
gender equality.
Nevertheless
– without a specific legal framework and as yet without funds allocated,
the Government has developed a Program for the Implementation of
Gender Equality 2005 – 2006 which includes a proposal to have specialists
in the Human Rights Office on gender-based discrimination. Women’s
NGOs see it as a step towards improvement of the situation but are
concerned that it will not be adequately funded as the Latvian government
has a history of adopting policies that look good on paper but then
failing to fund them.
In addition,
the draft program includes no money to fund NGOs work in the area
of employment discrimination and it is NGOs that have the most significant
expertise.
Recommendations
for the Government:
1. Allocate
sufficient financial resources for the developed government program
on promotion of gender equality 2005- 2006 supporting measures for
improving reconciliation of work and family lives and forming Gender
Equality Unit at the ombudsperson-like institution – the National
Human Rights Office.
2. Institute
accessible, transparent and funded mechanisms to ensure equal pay.
Such mechanisms must have procedures for making complaints and for
monitoring implementation in the public and private sectors.
3. Support financially
NGOs work to integrate women in labor market and limit the vertical
and horizontal segregation of labor market.
I will now pass
the microphone to my colleague to speak on specific issues.
Thank you for
your attention.
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