Sharing and balancing life-work responsibilities Public investment in women care giving role

1. Sharing and balancing life-work responsibilities Public investment in women caregiving role Czech Republic Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Gender Equality Unit Lucia Zachariášová

2. General remarks • Gender Equality Unit (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs) • Coordination and preparation of strategies of the government gender policy • Secretariat of Government Council for Equal Opportunities of Women and Men and its committees and working group • Balancing work, private and family life • important for other areas within gender policy such as: • higher participation of women in decision-making positions • strengtheningeconomic independence of women • combating violenceagainstwomen • etc.

3. Adoption of Antidiscrimination Act • Effective from 2009 • General law prohibiting discrimination • including gender as one of the discrimination grounds • Areas covered by Antidiscrimination Act • Employment • Entrepreneurship • Social Security • etc. • Abovementionedareas are closelylinked to solutionsforbalancingwork, private and family life

4. Committee for Balancing Work, Private and FamilyLife of the Government Council for Equal Opportunities of Women and Men • GovernmentCouncilfor Equal Opportunities of Women and Men • advisorybody of the Government established in 2001 • Committee for Balancing Work, Private and Family Life • established in 2009 • preparation of proposals, recommendations and initiatives for the Council (thanitmaybesubmitted to the Government) • two main areas 1.) child-care services (especially pre-schoolagechildren) 2.) flexible working arrangements • Members: public administration, employers’ associations, trade unions or representatives of NGOs • Crucial is membership of representatives of NGOs (for example Network of Mother Centers).

5. Network of Mother Centers (http://www.materska-centra.cz/) • First Mother Center established in 1992 • Network of Mother Centers founded in 2002, more that 300 Mother Centers • Contributions of Mother Centers: • strengthening self-confidenceof mothers • emphasis to active citizenship, influence social development and political decisions • child-care (meet the demand in the Czech Republic) • building of caring communityand solidarity • open for all social classes, races, refugees and manyothers • focusing on different groups, including employers and employees • Membership in international subjects • GROOTS International (from 1999) • partnered with the Huairou Commission • initiated the establishment of MINE

6. Working GroupMenand Gender Equality of the Government Council for Equal Opportunities of Women and Men • Established in 2012 • One of thetopics: men and caregiving • Members • state administration • academia • representatives of NGOs (for example TheLeagueof Open Men)

7. How To, Dad? Project of Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (http://www.tatojaknato.cz/) • Implemented in 2010 and 2011 • Main objectives • increase the number of men actively involved in parenthood • show men what they personally gainfrom parenthood • promote the value of fatherhood • fighting a discrimination of women in the labour market • balancing work and familylife • encourage employersandsociety to spend more time thinking about fathers • Activities • qualitative and quantitative survey • mediacampaign • conferences of experts • Media campaignfocused on married, single, divorced, biologicaloradoptivefathers, experienced father as well as beginners • Counterbalance to the negative images of fatherhood in society and media

8. „Child Group“ Legislativeproposalof the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs • Capacityof child-care servicesreduced due to demographic changes • New institute of so called child group • alternative to othertypes of child-care services • established and operated (usually) by employers for their employees • lessstrictstandards • Tax deduction for employers who establish a child group for their employees- motivation for employers • Strengthensocial responsibility and solidarity of employers • Strengthen higherloyalty of employeesand positive working environment • Influencereturn and positionofwomen on the labour market after parental leave • Pilot projectofchild group in the Ministry ofLabour and Social Affairs – good example for publicadministration and employers

9. Conclusions • Caregiving role is animportant part of lives of both, women and men • Direct line between caregiving role and balancing work, private and family life • Balancing work, private and family life enable women to develop caregiving role and at the same timepursue their professional needs and ambitions (they don't need to choose) • Sharing of caregiving role between women and men and involvementofmen is important • Cooperation of state administration and NGOs isimportant • Overcoming gender stereotypes

10. Thank you for your attention.lucia.zachariasova@mpsv.cz +420 221 923 487 +420 777 467 571Gender Equality UnitSection of the Deputy Minister for Social Inclusion and Equal OpportunitiesMinistry of Labour and Social AffairsNa Poříčním právu 1128 01 Prague 2