Género: diversos

São três artigos sobre a situação das mulheres - os dois primeiros, extremamente interessantes, discutem como essa situação evolui em função do desenvolvimento económico (qual é o interesse que os homens têm em apoiar os direitos das mulheres?) e, por outro lado, da violência existente numa dada sociedade (a resposta à violência fundaria a relação de dependência feminina - levanta questões interessantes: a violência e a resposta remontariam ao início da história de cada sociedade? seriam consagradas cultural e religiosamente em seguida?). O último refere a penetração das mulheres nos aparelhos políticos europeus. Podem ver mais sobre este tópico, neste blogue, sob a etiqueta género.

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  Women’s rights: What’s in it for men? vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists:

  "Women in rich countries largely enjoy gender equality while those in poor countries suffer substantial discrimination. This column proposes an explanation for the relationship between economic development and female empowerment that emphasises changes in the incentives males face rather than shifts in moral sentiment. Technological change that raises demand for human capital may give men a stake in women’s rights."
  
  
  
  
  

• Grasping Reality with Both Hands: The Semi-Daily Journal Economist Brad DeLong

  
  "RadGeek produces what I can only call the intellectual love child of Susan Brownmiller and Friedrich Hayek. Extremely well done: Rad Geek People’s Daily 2008-05-16 – Women and the Invisible Fist:

  
  "All of this can happen quite naturally when a large enough minority of men choose to commit widespread, intense, random acts of violence against a large enough number of women. And it can happen quite naturally without the raping men, or the protecting men, or the women in the society ever intending for any particular large-scale social outcome to come about.

  But what will come about, quite naturally, is that women’s social being — how women appear and act, as women, in public — will be systematically and profoundly circumscribed by a diffuse, decentralized threat of violence. And, as a natural but unintended consequence of many small, self-interested actions, some vicious and violent (as in the case of men who rape women), some worthwhile in their origins but easily and quickly corrupted (as in the case of men who try to protect women from rape), and some entirely rational responses to an irrational and dangerous situation (as in the case of women who limit their action and seek protection from men), the existence and activities of the police-blotter rapist serve to constrain women’s behavior and to become dependent on some men — and thus dependent on keeping those men pleased and serving those men’s priorities — for physical protection from other men.

  That kind of dependence can just as easily become frustrating and confining for the woman, and that kind of power can just as easily become corrupting and exploitative for the man, as any other form of dependence and power. (Libertarians and anarchists who easily see this dynamic when it comes to government police and military protection of a disarmed populace, shouldn’t have any trouble seeing it, if they are willing to see it, when it comes to male protection of women)..."

• FT.com / Europe - Europe’s old boys need to make way for women By Margot Wallström.

  
  "The Dutch economist, lawyer and author, Heleen Mees, wrote in the Financial Times recently: “Male dominance works like a cartel: it impedes proper functioning of the market by barring talented women from top jobs. The old boy network should be busted like any other cartel.”

  
  Anyone who has seen the photos of the European Union heads of state and governments gathered at the European Council or for other important occasions, such as signing the Treaty of Lisbon, will have been struck by the scarcity of women in the picture. How is it possible that, while women make up half of the population, they are still so poorly represented at the top in European politics?

  
  The European Commission’s latest report on women and men in decision-making roles in 2007 shows progress. Even so, less than a third of the representatives in the European Parliament are women. In national parliaments and governments in the EU the situation varies considerably, but the overall average is that they are only 23 per cent female. The European Commission performs slightly better, with nine female commissioners out of 27, or 33 per cent of the total. In Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero recently became the first prime minister to lead a government in which a majority of ministers are women. It is also the first Spanish government to have a woman minister for defence and a minister for equality. Clearly, the government is more reflective of the society it represents.

  
  Spain’s laws, which were inspired by Norway’s experience with legal quotas for women, ensure that at least 40 per cent of election candidates are women. However, the Spanish situation is countered by, for example, the record of Italy: Silvio Berlusconi’s 21-member cabinet includes only four women.

  
  Next year will be an important one for the development of European democracy. There will be elections for the European Parliament and at least four top posts will be filled in Europe’s institutional machinery. ... Speculation has started in the media about who will occupy these top EU posts. The need to achieve the right balance – of geographical areas, old and new members and candidates from across the political spectrum – has been mentioned. But what about the gender balance? In 50 years there has never been a female Commission president and only two presidents of the European Parliament. Even so, in all the discussions about top posts, the issue of the gender imbalance has not been raised. The argument that “there are no competent women for the job” has been put forward. What about Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, Tarja Halonen, president of Finland, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, president of Latvia 1999-2007, Mary Robinson, president of Ireland 1990-97, Dora Bakoyannis, foreign minister of Greece, Ursula Plassnik, foreign minister of Austria, Margaret Beckett, former British foreign secretary, or Emma Bonino, former Italian minister for trade and European commissioner, to name just a few?

  
  It is not about a shortage of capable women, but rather a question of men choosing men. I call on heads of state and government, leaders of all the European political parties, social partners and civil society to engage in an active campaign to increase the presence of women actively engaged for Europe. This is a call for action that aims to: ensure the equal representation of women among the top posts to be appointed next year; increase the presence of women on the lists for the European elections; and increase the female voter turnout in the European Parliament election in June 2009. It is high time we broke the male cartel in politics. It is not a question of whether women would do better than men – although they would certainly do equally well – but that they would do things differently. Women and men, with their different knowledge and experience, complement each other. Including women in the decision-making process is about democratic representation. Nothing more and nothing less."