'This report aims to assess the impact of this crisis on the situation of women and men in Europe and on gender equality policies. This is important as economic crises are deeply gendered. Past experience cannot provide sufficient insight into the gender impact of this crisis as the position of women has changed considerably since the last major recession. This crisis offers opportunities for radical change, including a potential to advance equality for women and men. However, the crisis also poses challenges where gender equality may be seen as an issue only for the good times.'
'This report has three aims: reviewing the ILO’s progress in assisting constituents to achieve gender equality in the world of work: highlighting its current efforts to implement International Labour Conference (ILC) resolutions and Governing Body decisions on promoting gender equality and mainstreaming it in the Decent Work Agenda: and providing background for constituents to chart a strategic course for future work. The context of the current financial and economic crisis has made the analysis of successful initiatives especially relevant. The crisis will impact heavily on both women’s and men’s efforts to find and keep decent work, and the progress made by ILO constituents around the world is threatened. Recovery packages that are designed too hurriedly and without sufficient social dialogue may inadvertently exacerbate existing sex discrimination in the labour market. .The report makes the case for scaling up measures to eliminate sex discrimination in the world of work and highlights ILO interventions in all regions. The ILO approach is grounded in the rights-based argument and the economic efficiency rationale: not only is gender equality in the world of work a matter of human rights and justice for workers, it also makes good business sense for employers and is instrumental in achieving economic growth and poverty reduction at national levels.'