Participation
Men have a much more public role, given the privilege that comes from the sexual division of jobs, which they can dedicate more personal time to and thereby enjoy a greater say in the decisions taken by organisations. Hence the contribution to their overrepresented voices and specific needs. So, promoting women’s participation in designing, preparing and assessing policies is key to reversing gender inequalities.
- Social participation
- Political and institutional participation
- Community participation and informal networks
Most of the people taking part in the city’s organisations and associations are women. Despite that, such participation is often hampered by difficulties in family and work life balance, which are more apparent in women’s lives than they are in men’s.
If equality is to be ensured, there will not only have to be policies aimed at women but also women involved in our political decision-taking bodies. Their participation has grown over the last few decades, to the point of reaching parity in political representation. Even so, there are still situations of segregation occurring in the various spaces for institutional representation and participation.
Citizen involvement is key to promoting initiatives that meet their needs and in the area of gender equality too. The empowerment of women and improvement of their living conditions are closely linked to their presence in these participatory spaces, both inside and outside their neighbourhoods.