Dads care for children too!
What comes to mind when you see a working father doing the hair of his daughter? Do you see anything unusual?
Gender stereotypes limit us all. Let’s shatter them and open up a world of possibilities! Caregiving and professional work are not limited to one gender. It is time to end the societal pressure and create equal opportunities for everyone to thrive in both their personal and professional lives. Together, we can create a more gender-balanced and equal world.
Finding balance: let’s challenge gender stereotypes
Women continue to take on a disproportionate share of childcare responsibilities. Mothers are more likely than fathers to work part-time, interrupt their careers, or lower their professional ambitions. This adds to women being paid less per hour than men on average, and it has a negative impact on their pensions, leaving them more vulnerable to social exclusion and poverty. A second income in the family can prevent the risk of poverty. Caregiving responsibilities need to be better shared by both parents and supported by affordable, high-quality childcare services. This is also beneficial for children. Work-life balance measures can also enable flexibility – this can be particularly beneficial for single parents, for instance.
Measures that promote greater compatibility between work and family life help achieving gender equality. They encourage men and women to share care responsibilities equally and make it easier for women to enter or return to paid work after a period of leave for family reasons. A healthy balance of personal and professional life can also contribute to parents' overall happiness.
Work-life balance and better access to childcare services are promoted by EU policies such as the Work-life Balance Directive and the European Care Strategy. You, as employees, employers, or parents, can also take small steps: As an employer, create a better work-life balance for your employees. As parents, you can share parenting and household responsibilities. These small adjustments will benefit us all!
Look beyond the figures
Sources:
Special Eurobarometer 465: Gender Equality 2017
EUROSTAT Reconciliation of work and family life - statistics
EIGE’s Upcoming Survey of Gender Gaps in Unpaid Care, Individual and Social Activities, 2022
Tackling gender stereotypes in practice
We can only overcome gender stereotypes by taking concrete actions and encouraging equal participation of women and men in all aspects of life. Find out about some EU-funded projects tackling gender stereotypes:
Let’s act together!
Do you want to challenge stereotypes and help promote gender equality?
To help raise awareness about this topic, share the campaign materials with the hashtag #EndGenderStereotypes.
Everyone has the power to bring about change!
- Digital kit - Баланс между работата и личния живот
- Digital kit - Equilibrio entre la vida laboral y la vida privada
- Digital kit - Rovnováha mezi pracovním a osobním životem
- Digital kit - Balance mellem arbejdsliv og privatliv
- Digital kit - Work-Life-Balance
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