Introduction

Progress towards gender equality has become a crucial issue in today’s society. In Catalonia, several indicators show that there are still significant inequalities between men and women in different areas of life. This article will analyze the indicators of gender equality in Catalonia and highlight the areas where progress has been made and the areas where there is still work to be done.

Training and labor market

The training indicators show that women have a higher educational level than men in Catalonia. 58% of university degrees are women, and young girls have less school failure than men. Despite this, this higher educational level does not translate into a significant reduction of inequalities in the labor market. Women continue to have an hourly wage gap and sign the majority of part-time contracts.

Sector TIC i R+D

The sector of information and communication technologies (ICT) and research and development (R&D) is an area where greater gender inequalities are detected. There is a low percentage of women pursuing Engineering and Architecture careers, and the presence of women in the ICT sector and in private research is lower than that of men. This situation is worrying, as the ICT sector has great potential for growth in the future.

Living conditions

In the area of ​​living conditions, there is an increase in the risk of poverty rate for women compared to men. In addition, women continue to take on the majority of caregiving tasks and have a pay gap in management occupations. However, there has been a reduction in the difference between the average pensions of men and women.

empowerment

In the field of empowerment, progress has been observed in the presence of women in positions of decision and influence. However, there is still a lack of parity in areas such as politics, business and universities. The difficulty in reconciling professional and personal careers, competitive pressure and patriarchal culture are some of the factors that continue to limit women’s progress in these fields.

Conclusions

Progress towards gender equality in Catalonia has seen progress in some areas, such as training and empowerment. However, there are still significant inequalities in the labor market and in the ICT and R&D sector. It is necessary to continue working to reduce these inequalities and promote gender equality at all levels of society.

Gender equality indicators in Catalonia

Gender equality indicators in Catalonia show that, despite some progress, there are still significant inequalities in various areas of society. According to a report recently presented by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, gender equality has stagnated in the last eight years. The study analyzes five key areas: training, labor market, ICT and R&D sector, living conditions and empowerment.

Training and labor market

In the field of training, women have a higher educational level than men, with 58% having university degrees. In addition, young girls have less school failure compared to boys. Despite this, this higher educational level does not translate into a significant reduction of inequalities in the labor market. Women continue to experience an hourly wage gap and sign the majority of part-time contracts.

Sector TIC i R+D

The information and communication technologies (ICT) and research and development (R&D) sector has the greatest gender inequalities. There is a low percentage of women pursuing careers in Engineering and Architecture, as well as low female employment in the ICT sector and a low female quota in R&D staff in the private sector. This situation contrasts with gender parity in the public sector.

Living conditions

In terms of living conditions, an increase in the at-risk-of-poverty rate for women has been observed compared to men. In addition, women continue to take on most of the care tasks and present a significant difference in pensions compared to men.

empowerment

In the area of ​​empowerment, there has been an increase in the presence of women in the political sphere, although there is still a long way to go. In business, women hold a smaller proportion of management positions and continue to suffer from a significant pay gap. In universities, women are under-represented in professorships.

Challenges and proposals for gender equality

To achieve greater gender equality in Catalonia, several challenges must be addressed. It is necessary to promote a greater presence of women in areas such as the ICT sector and research and development. It is also necessary to reduce the wage gap and encourage reconciliation between professional and personal life. In addition, it is important to work to change gender stereotypes and promote women’s participation in politics and business.

Some concrete proposals could be to change the name of some degrees to encourage technological vocations among girls, to make visible female references in areas such as science and technology, and to provide adequate support for the reconciliation of work and personal life.

In short, despite the progress made in terms of gender equality in Catalonia, there are still significant inequalities in various areas of society. It is necessary to continue working to achieve greater gender equality and guarantee equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their gender.