Aspects to highlight of the Global Gender Gap Report 2009

Published by S. Mally, July 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

The Global Gender Gap Index, introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006, is a framework for capturing the magnitude and scope of gender-based disparities and tracking their progress. The Index benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, political education- and health- based criteria.

The fourth edition of the Global Gender Gap Report provides a valuable snapshot of the current performance of 134 countries, representing over 90% of the world’s population. On average, over 96% of the gap on health outcomes, 93% of the gap on educational attainment, 60% of the gap on economic participation and 17% of the gap political empowerment has been closed. No country in the world has achieved gender equality. The three highest ranking countries –Iceland, Finland and Norway- have closed a little over 80% of their gender gaps, while the lowest ranking country –Yemen- has closed only around 46% of its gender gap.

We at AFAEMME wanted to capture some of the data provided by The Global Gender Gap Report 2009 to offer a short and clear overview of the current performance of 18 of the analyzed countries: Albania, Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Malta, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

To open our résumé please click HERE

10 recommendations of IPEMED

Published by S. Mally, July 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

How can we obtain achieving converging regional performances, socially and territorially more egalitarian? This is the question raised by the Institut de Prospective Économique du Monde Méditerranéen (IPEMED) in its publication « The Mediterranean Region in 2030 : the ways of a better future ».

In the frame of this publication IPEMED proposes some recommendations focused on the main stakes and factors of Euro Mediterranean convergence:

1. Investing in human capital by fostering mobility (allowing temporary migration for contract based services and projects co-financed by the UFM) and in qualification (creation of a common core and a Euro-Mediterranean network of vocational training and accreditation/recognition of skills and qualifications; supporting the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI); strengthening ErasmusMed...).

2. Accelerating the transfer of skills, competences and technology (1) by facilitating the emergence of Euro-Mediterranean research and “competitiveness poles” (clusters) on carrier or rich in employment sectors (information and communication technologies for services, the agricultural techniques and energy efficiency, etc.); (2) by tightening localization on a regional basis – from this point of view, the implementation of a system of regional preferences that go beyond free trade and based on criteria concerning social, sanitary and environmental quality will contribute to accelerate transfers of capital and know-how.

3. Creating a common institutional space, supplementing transfers, an advanced status benefitting from “pre-accession” funds to the internal market (meaning the progressive implementation of the four liberties of circulation of goods, capital, services and persons), and accelerate the accession process of candidate countries to the EU.

4. Engage a Mediterranean certification process focusing initially on agriculture and services, with the implementation of a Mediterranean label guaranteeing health (establishment of a health agency) and environmental standards in agricultural products, a level of competence and quality of services for service providers.

5. Projects should be selected by the Union for the Mediterranean (co-financing) on their potential for job creation, and/or energy moderation.

6. Creating a Mediterranean environmental fund to finance, on the one hand, the strengthening of the capacity of adaptation to the climate change of southern and eastern Mediterranean countries and the Adriatic countries and, on the other hand, renewable energy transport’s infrastructure and alternative public transport projects, clean development projects reducing greenhouse gas emissions, rationalizing water demand and energy efficiency projects, especially for residential commercial buildings. Establish a EuroMed Fund for Solar Energy.

7. Set up a Mediterranean bank of investment, based on the same principles of the EIB, and created to encourage financing of the SME, key actors in the creation of wealth and employment.

8. Intensify transport networks in the South of the Mediterranean in order to facilitate the fluidity of South-South trades, with a particular attention on the multimodal transport allowing a better optimization of the logistics cost.

9. Elaborate a common food safety policy (mutualized devices of insurance of the agricultural risks; creation of security stocks and elaboration of mechanisms of emergency intervention) and of rural development (material and immaterial infrastructures of the sectors; manager and technological trainings).

10. Create a permanent Euro-Mediterranean center in order to assess convergence and divergence process of Mediterranean area, efficiency of policy implementation favorable to Mediterranean integration and to raise awareness among public opinion.

AFAEMME participates at the IEMed survey which contributed to elaborate the report “Assessment of the Euromediterranean Partnership: Perceptions and Realities”

Published by S. Mally, July 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

AFAEMME’s President, Mrs. De Felipe Lehtonen, has participated at the survey done by the European Institute for the Mediterranean (IEMed) in order to gather data from more than 370 extensive questionnaires answered by experts, actors and decision-makers of the countries involved in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership or Barcelona Process.

The study forms part of the project “Promoting mutual awareness, understanding and cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the European Neighbourhood Region (South)”, a multi-year programme within the framework of the working dynamics of the European Commission and EuropeAid through the regional chapter of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument.

You can read the report “Assessment of the Euromediterranean Partnertship: Perceptions and Ralities” in our press clipping section.

ITC and Women Mobility Projects

Published by S. Mally, July 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

“INTERCOLLEGE” is currently implementing, together with the University of Tartu, “ITEC”, “Scienter España S.L.”, “Emmerce Eeig”, “Inova Consultancy” and “MILITOS EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES & SERVICES Greece” a very successful European project entitled “Gender-IT: Fostering gender mainstreaming in the ICT sector” (www.gender-it.eu) which is a two-year initiative co-funded by the European Union's Lifelong Learning Program, under the Leonardo da Vinci Action. The project aims to contribute to innovative and attractive VET practices in the ICT sector in order to cover the existing gender gap with women accounting for less than 20% of computer systems designers, analysts and programmers in the EU27. In the frame of this program Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe, AFAEMME’s President, has been interviewed about women and ITC’s. To read the interview please click here.

“MILITOS EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES & SERVICES Greece”, together with “BIC OF ATTICA”, the Region of Attica (Greece),“IRECOOP Veneto” and the Region of Veneto (Italy), is also implementing another European Project (www.womenproject.eu) which overall aim is the formulation, experimentation, dissemination and mainstreaming of an integrated mechanism supporting Mobility through intervening in main steps of the process of raising occupational skills and competences and of career development.

The ANIMA Investment Network Board of Directors appoints AFAEMME at the post of treasurer

Published by S. Mally, June 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

During the ANIMA Investment Network Board Meeting, which took place last June 2nd 2010 in Barcelona (Spain), AFAEMME presented its candidature for the treasurer’s position of the Network. The Board of Directors unanimously decided to appoint AFAEMME at the post.

AFAEMME participated at the Mediterranean Economic Leaders Summit

Published by S. Mally, June 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

AFAEMME participated at the Mediterranean Economic Leaders Summit, which took place last June 3rd and 4th in Barcelona, Spain.

The Summit had been hosted by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and Industry and organized by ANIMA, ASCAME, BusinessEurope, BusinessMed, Eurchambres and UEAPME.

Four workshops featured the participation of experts and finance agents from each one of the areas addressed. Furthermore, the region's main business leaders analyzed the evolution of Euro-Mediterranean economic and business relations, laying special emphasis on future openings derived from the UfM.

AFAEMME took part of the “Entrepreneurship” workshop dedicated to support and facilitate the access to finance for Mediterranean entrepreneurs.

The event culminated in the signing of a joint business declaration: the Barcelona Mediterranean Private Sector Declaration

AFAEMME met the Greek Association of Women Entrepreneurs (S.E.G.E) in Barcelona

Published by S. Mally, June 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

AFAEMME and its Greek member, the Greek Association of Women Entrepreneurs (S.E.G.E.), held a meeting in Barcelona last 18th of May.

During the meeting, which has been attended by the Presidents and General Secretaries of both Organisations, AFAEMME and S.E.G.E. discussed about future and common projects and evaluated past and recent actions.

The meeting has been closed by a working-lunch with representatives of both Organisations.

Corporate Women Directors International Key findings on Women Board Directors of the 2009 Fortune Global 200

Published by S. Mally, May 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

The Corporate Women Directors International 2010 Report contains very interesting data on Women Board Directors collected in a list of key findings which we will reproduce as follows:

• Good news: Over three-quarters (77.5%) of the 200 largest companies in the world, as ranked by Fortune in 2009, have at least one woman director on their board.


• Good news: For the first time in the three CWDI reports on women board directors of the Fortune Global 200, the number of companies with two women board members is higher (58) than the number of companies with only one woman director (51). Fifteen companies had four or more board seats held by women.


• Bad news: Conversely, 45 of the largest 200 companies in the world still do not have a single woman on their Board of Directors -- the same number of companies as in the 2007 CWDI Report on Women Board Directors of Fortune Global 200 Companies.


• Bad news: The total percentage of women board members globally continued to increase at a glacial pace. The percentage of board seats held by women from 2006-2009 increased by only 1% to 12.2% from 11.2% in 2007. This means that men still hold 87.8% of all board appointments to the 200 largest companies in the world.


• Part of the reason for the seeming status quo in women’s accession to board seats is the changed composition of the Fortune listing. There are new countries represented – Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which traditionally do not have significant numbers of women in leadership roles.


• In addition, Asian companies comprise the majority of companies with no women directors. Twenty-nine (29) of the 45 companies with no women on the boards, or 64.4%, are from Asia.


• Among the world’s largest companies, the U.S. continues to be the pacesetter in appointing women to board seats. 19.5% of all board directors of U.S. companies in the study are women. This marks a 1.9% increase from the 2007 CWDI Report.


• Norway’s Statoil company and U.S.-based Kraft Corporation lead CWDI’s “Top Ten” list of companies with the highest percentage of women directors with 40% of board seats in each company held by women. U.S. companies dominate this “Top Ten” listing. China places one company for the first time in the Top Ten with China Construction Bank at 28.6%. All five companies with women CEOs in the Fortune Global 200 are included in the Top Ten listing.


• The country which leads Europe and has the second highest percentage overall is the Netherlands with 15.9% women’s representation on the boards of the eight companies in this listing. In five years, the Netherlands increased its percentage of women directors from 8.6% to 15.9%. Switzerland ranks third with 14.3% women directors on the boards of its five companies in the study, raising their percentage of women directors in its largest companies from 7.7% to 11.2%. Lastly, France saw a similar increase of female representation on its large company boards from 3.6% to 11.2%.


• These increases in the Netherlands, Switzerland and France are due in part to greater advocacy, research and attention to the issue of women on boards. Both the Netherlands and France have passed laws mandating quotas for women directors in their respective countries similar to that of Norway’s. Spain has also enacted a quota law requiring 50% of board seats to be allocated for women.


• All countries which had at least five companies in the Fortune Global 200 in 2009 increased their percentage of women directors with one exception -- the United Kingdom. The U.K. saw a drop in the percentage of women board directors in the companies included in the Fortune listing from 13.9% to 10.6%.


• Among Fortune’s current listing of the 200 largest companies in the world, the Food Consumer Products industry had the highest representation of women directors in an industry comparison -- 27.1% of board seats in the companies in this field being female.

The General Assembly of ANIMA elected a new President and new Board of Directors

Published by S. Mally, February 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

During its General Assembly, hold in Barcelona (Spain) on April 23rd 2009, ANIMA elected Mrs. Wafaa Sobhy, Vice-Chairman of GAFI, as the new President of the Organisation and a new Board of Directors, whose mandate began on January 1st 2010.
The new composition of the ANIMA Board of Directors, where AFAEMME is now part of, is the following one:

European Union and Employment

Published by S. Mally, February 2010, Barcelona (Spain)

Last January 27th AFAEMME attended a conference about the Spanish Presidency of the European Union and about European Employment Policies, which were hold in the Headquarter of the European Institutions in Barcelona.

Speakers, mainly university professors and experts in economy and social affairs, highlighted that the European Union should coordinate efforts for facilitating its member States labour maximization, among others by facilitating women access to the labour market. Furthermore they strongly recommended to always considering labour policies together with economic polices and to coordinate both.

Attendants to the conference also get access to the Speech that the Secretary of State for the European Union, Diego López Garrido, held at the European Parliament on December 15th 2009, about the challenges and opportunities of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union. Important aspects of this speech were that one of the four main priorities of the Presidency is equality between women and men and that the protection and promotion of equality is also one of the two Presidency’s Guidelines. Besides, López Garrido also made reference to the strengthening of the competitiveness and the creation of quality employment and told that for achieving it social inclusion and a gender perspective of the strategy will be very important.

Report from the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union “Beijing + 15: The Platform for Action and the European Union”

Published by S. Mally, December 2009, Barcelona (Spain)

Last December 2009 the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union published the report “Beijing + 15: The Platform for Action and the European Union”. This report is the third review of development at the EU-level in relation to the 12 critical areas of concern of the PfA (the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for Equality, Development and Peace adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995).

The report, which is based on the Council Conclusions on the follow-up of the Beijing PfA since 2005 and on information provided by the Member States in January 2009, realizes important outlines regarding women in power and decision making and women in the economy.

The document highlights that while the last few years have seen a general increase in the number of women in decision-making positions in Europe, women continue to be a minority in the political and economical spheres.

With regard to the different indicators in the area Women in power and decision-making which were adopted by the Council in 1999 and extended during Italy’s Presidency in 2003, the report shows, among others, that:

Gender balance amongst appointed members of national governments in the member states has slowly increased and there are great differences between member states (In 2008 Finland had 60% of female ministers and Spain 50%, but there were also EU-countries with less than 10% women). Women’s trade union membership has increased over recent years but women are not progressing easily to top level positions. Only three national confederations reported having a woman as a president and few labour confederations have female vice presidents. The current President of the European Trade Union Confederation is a woman.

Women are still excluded from the highest decision-making bodies or boards of the largest publicly quoted companies. The proportion amongst presidents of executive boards of the top 50 firms publicly quoted on the national stock exchange is 3% women and 97% men.

Regarding women and the economy, the report highlights that parental leave does not always advance gender equality and that long parental leave periods, used only by mothers, may reduce female labour force participation and affect future career paths and earnings adversely. Furthermore it pointed out that gender gaps in employment and childcare responsibility are still there and that it is necessary to take measures to encourage men to share family and domestic responsibilities with women on an equal footing and to encourage enterprises to adopt family-friendly measures.

Invest in Med celebrates the MedAlliance Board and a Conference in Barcelona

Published by P. Horvath, April 30th, 2009 Barcelona (Spain)

On April 24th, the Invest in Med Programme held in Barcelona the second MedAlliance Board and the Conference of the Union for the Mediterranean on the subject "The Mediterranean countries and the global economic crisis", in the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, the Casa Llotja del Mar.

The MedAlliance Board is the Steering Committee of the Invest in Med programme, which brings together ANIMA, BUSINESSMED, ASCAME, EUROCHAMBRES and the special partners GTZ, UNIDO and EUROMEDITERRANEE and is co-financed by the European Commission. The Board was chaired by Mr. Galal El Zorba, President of BUSINESSMED and during this event the «MedAlliance Declaration» was also presented and signed.

The Conference had as main subject the importance of economic collaboration between Mediterranean countries, in order to create long lasting strategic alliances and partnerships between SMEs from the North and South of the Mediterranean, to facilitate their development and attract Foreign Direct Investment and trade flows towards the Mediterranean region.

During these events, Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME met Mrs. Marta Turk, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Ljubljana, to discuss the development of the project “Med Franchise”, which both organisations are carrying out together. Mrs. Felipe Lehtonen also had the opportunity to speak and exchange views with Mr. Galal El Zorba, President of BUSINESSMED and with Mrs. Shéhérazade Berrehouma, BUSINESSMED’s General Secretary.

Mrs. Felipe Lehtonen with Mr. Galal El Zorba, President of BUSINESSMED

AFAEMME President meets the President of ANIMA Investment Network

Published by P. Horvath, April 30th, 2009 Barcelona (Spain)

During ANIMA Investment Network’s Annual General Meeting, held in Barcelona on April 23rd – coinciding with one of Catalonia’s most important holidays, the day of Saint Jordi - Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME met with the then President of ANIMA Investment Network, Mrs. Laïla Sbiti. During this reunion both Presidents exchanged opinions regarding the projects being carried out by their organisations and on the activities that they could hold together in a near future.

On the same day, ANIMA held its elections to the Board of Directors, in which Mrs. Sbiti was chosen Vice-President for the 209 -2011 period.

ANIMA Investment Network’s Annual General Meeting

Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME with Mrs. Laïla Sbiti. former President of ANIMA Investment Network.

AFAEMME becomes Member of the Spanish Coordinator of the European Women’s Lobby

Published by P. Horvath, April 6th, 2009 Barcelona (Spain)

Last March 28th, AFAEMME become member of CELEM, the Spanish Coordinator of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL).

The EWL is the largest umbrella organisations of women’s associations in the European Union. Its Secretariat is based in Brussels, but EWL has member organisations in the 27 Member States of the EU and in 3 candidate countries.

The European Women’s Lobby aims at promoting women’s rights and equality between women and men in the European Union. EWL is active in different areas such as women’s economic and social position, women in decision-making, violence against women, women’s diversity etc. EWL works mainly with the institutions of the European Union: the European Parliament, the European Commission and the EU Council of Ministers.
CELEM, the Spanish national network coordinator, was presented in the Senate in 1994 and in 1995 the organisation was formally recognised.

AFAEMME Participates in a Meeting to Constitute the Council for Women’s Participation of Spain

Published by P. Horvath, March 18th, 2009 Barcelona (Spain)

AFAEMME was invited by the Ministry for Equality of Spain to discuss the constitution of the Spanish Council for Women’s Participation in a meeting held in Madrid last March 16th.

The event counted with the presence of representatives from sixty national women organisations, including Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME. During the meeting’s debate, Mrs. de Felipe presented the model followed by the European Commission’s Network of Women in Decision-Making in Politics and Economy, as one that could be taken into account by the future Council for Women’s Participation. She also encouraged the participants to take part in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, which will take place in June reminding the importance of having more women representatives in this institution.

AFAEMME’s President meets EU’s Commissioner responsible for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy

Published by P. Horvath, March 11th, 2009 Barcelona (Spain)

On March 10th 2009 Mrs. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner responsible for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy visited Barcelona. As part of Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner’s agenda, a dinner was hosted by the Major of Barcelona, Mr. Jordi Hereu, in Catalonia’s National Museum of Art. The event gathered a group of public figures representing the Mediterranean basin, including Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME.

The guests had the opportunity to interchange impressions with Mrs. Ferrero-Waldner, who also transmitted the support of the European Commission to the establishment, in Barcelona, of the Secretariat for the Union for the Mediterranean.

AFAEMME Begins Working in Mediterranean Project with Several of its Members

Published by P. Horvath, December 2nd, 2008, Barcelona (Spain)

On November 24th, representatives of AFAEMME and of several of its member organisations got together in Marseille, France for the start-up workshop of the MED FRANCHISE project, an initiative endorsed by the ANIMA Investment Network and led by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia /Ljubljana Regional Chamber.

The MED FRANCHISE project tries to develop the participation of businesswomen organizations in the process of exchange of partnership initiatives by using the model of franchises as a tool of international cooperation, business exchange and Foreign Direct Investment towards the Mediterranean region. Between its main activities several partner meetings have been planned to analyze how franchises are working in the region and to define the work priorities. These meetings will lead to the generation of a study on the industries and sectors that operate with franchises throughout the Mediterranean and their potential in the future and the organization of Mediterranean BtoB meetings. Apart from these activities, a thematic workshop on franchises will be held in Morocco – organised by AFAEM, the Association of Businesswomen of Morocco, one of AFAEMME members. Apart from AFEM, two other members of our network are taking part on this project: the Jordan Forum for Business & Professional Women (JFPBW) and the Egyptian Business Women Association (EBWA).

For more information on this project, please click here.

Partner meeting held in Marseille, France: Mrs. Beatriz Fdz.-Tubau, Legal Adviser of AFAEMME, Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe, President of AFAEMME, Mrs. Rania Khatib, Executive Manager of the Jordan Forum for Business & Professional Women; Ms. Tamara Turk, of GIZ PODJETNOST; Mrs. Imane Mourabiti, Responsible for Quality Management of the Assocation of Businesswomen of Moroco (AFEM) and Mrs. Marta Turk, President of the Ljubljana Regional Chamber of Commerce.

AFAEMME participates in the III National Congress for the Rationalisation of Working Hours in Spain

Published by P. Horvath, November 21st, 2008, Barcelona (Spain)

On November 18th, Mrs. Mª Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, President of AFAEMME and Mrs. Beatriz Fdz.-Tubau, Legal Advisor of AFAEMME, participated, representing our organisation in the III National Congress for the Rationalisation of Working Hours in Spain. The event, which was held in Tarragona, Spain was organised by the Department of Labour of the Government of Catalonia and the Association for the Rationalisation of Working Hours in Spain, ARHOE.

Today, many European countries have recognised the needs and benefits of promoting a change in the work culture, in order to take into account the different facets of a person’s life. These countries have begun to bet in a model that allows the conciliation of work and family lives, giving answers that are better adapted to the real requirements of people, model which is considered the most satisfactory for society as a whole.

The President of the National Commission for the Rationalisation of Working Hours in Spain, Mr. Ignacio Buqueras,; with Mrs. Rosemboom, Mrs. Viñas, Mrs. de Felipe and Mrs. Fdez-Tubau, in the Palacio de Congresos of Tarragona.

Barcelona chosen as base of the Union for the Mediterranean

Published by P. Horvath, November 12th, 2008, Barcelona (Spain)

The Foreign Ministers of 43 countries from the European Union, the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East agreed to base the new Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona, Spain.

The meeting, held in Marseille between November 3rd and 4th, was centred in discussing the new institutional governance of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean, which from now on will be called Union for the Mediterranean". Barcelona was chosen to allow the partners of both shores of the Mediterranean to work better together to face common challenges. The selected project areas on which the partners will work in priority include the de-pollution of the Mediterranean, maritime and land highways, civil protection, alternative energies and the Mediterranean Solar Plan, higher education and research, the Mediterranean Business Development Initiative.

AFAEMME championed Barcelona’s candidature by submitting a letter of support to the European Commission Representation in Barcelona. This support was jointly agreed upon during AFAEMME’s Annual Assembly held in Barcelona last September.