Ireland is bucking the global tendency of denying women senior
positions according to a report published to commemorateInternational Women’s Day.
Women constitute an increasing percentage of the world's workers, butmany still find it impossible to break into top jobs, theInternational Labour Organisation (ILO) said.
But it pointed to Ireland as a possible exception to the globaltrend, because of our two successive women presidents and the first UN human rights commissioner, Mrs Mary Robinson.
Mrs Robinson said attitudes can change quickly. She noted when she was elected Irish president in 1990, she was Ireland's first female head of state, and that she was succeeded by another woman in 1997.
"Apparently there are small boys in Ireland who are complaining totheir mothers, 'Why can't I grow up to be president?' That seems tome to be an excellent experience for small boys in Ireland."
In a report to mark International Women's Day, the UN agency saidwomen - who make up around 40 per cent of the global work force - face a "glass ceiling" when they try to get to the top in business and politics.
The ILO report said that worldwide, women hold up to 3 per cent of top executive jobs. Eight countries have female heads of state while less than 14 per cent of the world's lawmakers and 1 per cent of union leaders are female.
Women who do get to the top on average earn less than men, the studysaid. "Wage differences in male and female managerial jobs stem fromthe reality that even when women hold management jobs, they are oftenin less strategic, lower-paying areas of a company's operations."
The European Parliament marked International Women’s day today bysitting in special session to hear women’s organisations call forgreater rights for female victims of international sex-trafficking.
The United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace, togive it its full title, was proclaimed by the General Assembly of theUnited Nations in 1977 to recognize the role of women in securingpeace and social progress in the world; and to recognise the rightsthey have secured, and continue to secure, through years of activismand agitation.
Among the commemorative events around Ireland were a meeting towelcome ethnic minority women to Cavan and Monaghan, a workshop onprostitution in Ballymun and a candle-lighting service in Tralee.
Evening events include a reading by some of the country’s bestwomen’s poets including Biddy Jenkinson, Medbh McGuckian and MáireMhac an tSaoi at St Anne’s church in Dawson Street, Dublin.
In Britain, practitioners of Falungong held a march to draw attentionto the plight of women in China.
Additional reporting AP