We are pleased to present Núria Varela, a journalist, writer, and international authority on equality policies, at the Inaugural Conference. This event is part of the program of activities organized by the DIGECP project, which is supported by the European Union, to celebrate the V Forum of Municipalities Committed to Equality.
In her talk, titled ‘Feminism and local politics: an alliance to transform society’, Varela emphasized the importance of the international human rights framework for equality policies at a local level, highlighting instruments such as CEDAW, as well as the importance of protecting gender mainstreaming, co-responsibility, and time management in public action.
She warned about the growth of sexist violence linked to inequality between women and men and emphasized the need to combat it from all areas, including local governments. She stressed the fundamental role of municipal administrations in protecting the rights of people living in cities and towns.
Varela emphasized the importance of evaluating local policies as a means of improving, sustaining, and legitimizing the feminist agenda in public management. “Equality and corresponsibility go hand in hand in defending women’s rights to live with dignity and have the same opportunities as men.” However, she added that local policies must incorporate a new culture of social time use that includes time for forming technical and professional teams in matters of co-responsibility.
More effort is needed to integrate a culture of time use and coresponsibility through a coherent set of public policies that act simultaneously on regulation, services, taxation, and education in values. Regarding this issue, she provided some guidance on how to achieve this.
Regulatory framework and the right to time
Public authorities can pass laws that define the right to care, conciliation and coresponsibility between women and men, and between the state, the market, families and the community. These places care at the heart of society. This framework should include equal, non-transferable leave for birth or adoption, regulation of remote working, and more rational working hours to avoid overtime culture.
Comprehensive care systems
The creation of universal, quality public care systems (e.g., nurseries, home care services, day centers and resources for dependency) reduces the invisible burden on families and enables time to be distributed more equitably. These systems must recognize care as part of social protection systems, coordinating social, health, educational and community services within the local area.
Time policies in cities and companies
At the local level, time bureaus and city plans can be used to rationalize schedules relating to commerce, transport, schools, and administration, and to promote closer environments that reduce travel. In the labor sector, administrations can make aid and public procurement conditional upon companies implementing work-life balance plans and flexible working arrangements. Education, culture, and awareness
Education policies should incorporate the responsible use of time, co-education, and gender co-responsibility from an early stage, by addressing roles and care tasks in the classroom and within families. Community culture and neighborhood participation programs, mutual support practices and care volunteering can promote innovative ideas about the social value of one’s own and others’ time.
Family support and incentives
Specific strategies for work-life balance and shared responsibility for families can combine services, such as public babysitting and extracurricular activities, with financial aid and tax advantages, if leave and care responsibilities are distributed equitably. Periodically evaluating these policies using indicators of time use, well-being, and gender equality enables adjustments to be made and helps to consolidate a social culture that values time as a collective good.
