I.- INTRODUCTION
Throughout the 20th century women have achieved civil rights and have massively joined formal education and employment; nevertheless, there is yet a long way left to achieve effective equality.
Inequality between maternity and paternity leave is one of the elements both reflecting and reinforcing obsolete patterns of a society, despite the fact that nowadays the majority of citizens back the idea of co-responsibility and the eradication of the sexual division of labor.
The Platform for Equal and Non-Transferable Parental Leave promotes an open debate to address the consequences of existing inequality, and, furthermore, the opportunity and convenience to incorporate gender equality goals into the political agenda. Accordingly, PPIINA is organizing the 3rd EUROPEAN CONFERENCE, where all organizations and individuals interested in supporting progress towards gender equality can converge: from feminists to groups of egalitarian men, as well as youth groups, trade unions, civil society organizations, members of the Spanish Parliament, public administration and the academic community.
The debate goes beyond labor and social security rights to encompass the larger question regarding what kind of society we want to live in. This question acquires special relevance in the present political and economic context. Indeed, the economic crisis and the changes in the labor market make even clearer that the shift of public policies towards full gender equality is the only way to effectively achieve equality in the labor market, to protect children rights and to help families in need. Moreover, the current demographic crisis and the need for a sustainable development make these changes even more urgent. Equal, non-transferable and fully paid parental leave is the hallmark of this orientation.
The 3rd EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ‘For a Fair and Sustainable Society: Equal, Non Transferable and Fully Paid Parental Leave Rights’ will take place on June 30th 2012 in Madrid.
The call and organization of this 3rd European Conference are being supported by the organizations composing the PPIINA and the PLENT, as well as the following Spanish institutions: Ministry of Equality (through the Women’s Institute), five universities (Complutense, UNED, Rey Juan Carlos, Carlos III and Autónoma). These universities will validate academic credits for students.
II.- CORE OF THE CONTENTS TO BE TACKLED DURING THIS CONFERENCE
1. International experiences regarding the use of parental leave by men and women in connection to the diverse leave policies.
2. Parental leave inequality and the new division of labor: implications for employment, productivity and demography.
3. Effects of Leave Inequality on the conformation of gender roles.
4. Co-responsibility, equality and non-transferability of labor and social rights.
5. The politics of parental leave policies: current situation and institutional proposals.
6. Networks to generate social change: exchange and coordination among different European groups.
7. Experience and evidence from different parental leave regimes.
III.- PROGRAMME30th June 2012. 3rd PPIINA CONFERENCE
For a Fair and Sustainable Society: Equal, Non Transferable and Fully Paid Parental Leave RightsConference Venue: Reina Sofía National Art Center Museum, Madrid. Edificio Nouvel, Ronda de Atocha, 2. Madrid. Sala 400.
Languages: Spanish and English (simultaneous translation)
Also On-line Conference: Live broadcasting through the Conference Web Site. Online interaction with the room-debate, contributions from social networks (Facebook, Twitter), plus other social networks devoted to gender equality (Red Igualdad, EEI, e-gener@, etc.)
Validation of academic units and European credits ECTS by five universities: Complutense, UNED, Rey Juan Carlos, Carlos III and Autónoma of Madrid.
08:45 Participants’ registration
09:00 Opening session
Welcoming remarks by Representatives from Spanish institutions:
Presentation: Ángeles Briñón García. PPIINA
Jesús María Carrillo Castillo. Director of Cultural Programming, Reina Sofía
National Arts Center Museum
Raquel Osborne Verdugo. UNED University
María Jesús Vara Miranda. Autónoma University
Asunción Bernárdez Rodal. Director, Feminist Research Institute, Complutense
University
Laura Nuño Gómez. Director, Gender Chair of the Public Law Institute, Rey Juan
Carlos University
Carmen Plaza Martín. Director, Women’s Spanish Institute, Health, Social
Services and Equality Ministry10:00 Welcoming by Judith Butler (video)
10:15 Towards Total Gender Equality
Presentation: Pilar Seoane Vázquez. PPIINA, CCOO and Izquierda Unida
Introduction: Nuria Varela Menéndez. Journalist and Gender Equality Expert
María Teresa Fernández de la Vega. Member of the Spanish State Council
Amelia Valcarcel. Member of the Spanish State Council12:00 Equal, Non Transferable and Fully Paid Parental Leave: a Real Utopia?
(Videoconference)
Janet Gornick. Professor of Political Sciences. City University of New York (CUNY). Director of the Luxemburg Income Study. Author of ‘Gender Equality: Transforming Family Divisions of Labor’. Volume 6, Real Utopias Project. New York. Verso Press, 2009. (video)12:15 Coffee break
12:30 In Face of the Crisis: Equality is the Way
Presentation: José Carlos Santamaría Poza. PPIINA and Stopmachismo
Lina Gálvez Muñoz. Vice-rector, Seville University
Juan Torres López. Professor, Seville University
Carmen Castro García. SinGenerodeDudas; Project ‘Feminismo ante la crisis’ and PPIINA14:00 Lunch Break
15:45 Iceland: Roadmap for Total Equality
Presentation: Fuencisla Sánchez Sánchez. PPIINA, PSOE and COGAM
Hildur Jonsdottir. Adviser on Gender equality issues to the Icelandic Prime Minister.
Gyda Margrét Pétursdóttir. University of Iceland, Feminist Association of Iceland and PLENT16:45 PPIINA Proposals
Presentation: Dori Fernández Hernando. PPIINA and Forum for Feminist Politics, Spain
Presentation of the Proposal of Law for the reform of parental leave in Spain
María Pazos Morán. Institute for Fiscal Studies and PPIINA.
Presentation of the Pilot Project (Implementation of the Reform in a Municipality of
Spain)
Hildur Jonsdottir will present the experiment she directed in the Reikjavik Municipality.
Teresa Jurado Guerrero. UNED University and PPIINA17:45 We Act for Equal, Non Transferable and Fully Paid Parental Leave!
Presentation: Mariano Nieto Navarro. PPIINA and Network Men for Equality
PLENT partners:
Sara Dahlin, Carola Tenor and Johanna Lauri. Forum for Feminist Parents, Sweden and PLENT
Jeanne Fagnani. Emeritus Research Director at the National Centre for Scientific Research, CNRS, France and PLENT
Danielle Boyer. Coordinator of the Research Programme on Pre-primary Children, CNAF
Olga Trostiansky. General Secretary, Laboratoire pour l’Egalité; President of French Coordination, European Women’s Lobby and PLENT
Gyda Margrét Pétursdóttir. University of Iceland, Feminist Association of Iceland and PLENT
Begoña San José Serrán. President, COMPI (Federation of Women’s Organisations for Participation and Equality)
José Ángel Lozoya Gómez. Member of the Network Men for Equality
Cristina Castellanos Serrano. Complutense University and PPIINA19:45 Salutation by Marcela Lagarde (Video)
20:00 Closing Remarks
Representation of PPIINA: Natalia Serrano Serrano, Cristina Bajo Enríquez, Susana García Bunger, Marian Alonso Casado, Aida Reinoso Acero, Elena Peñafiel Sanz.
