Women in Politics and Management Still Underrepresented

According to this, only eleven percent of local leaders and 26 percent of municipal council members in cities and municipalities are female. In only 51 of the 2,092 municipalities, there are at least 50 percent women in management positions in companies, while in 341 municipalities, there is not a single woman in management.

Appeal from the Association of Cities

"We need women as decision-makers to establish women-friendly policies and to drive the economy forward progressively," appealed the Secretary-General of the Association of Cities, Thomas Weninger, according to the press release. Currently, the index for women in politics and the economy is only 34 out of a possible 100 points, according to the press material.

The Association of Cities and the Chamber of Labor also saw a particular need for action in working life. In terms of part-time rates, the gender equality index of the average municipality is at 18 points, and correspondingly poor is the situation regarding average income (19 points). Weninger therefore called for better framework conditions, such as wage transparency, more full-time opportunities for women, and part-time opportunities for men, so that care work is more fairly distributed between women and men. Additionally, more kindergarten places are needed that are compatible with both parents working full-time.

Health and Public Transport

In terms of health, the municipalities achieve an average score of 44 points. The situation with health insurance doctors in gynecology is particularly highlighted, where a total of 199 specialists are missing. If only health insurance gynecologists are considered, there are even 410 missing, emphasized the Chamber of Labor and the Association of Cities.

Public transport should also be considered in terms of gender equality, in their view. Women tend to use shared cars less frequently than men and therefore have to rely more often on public transport, while simultaneously taking on the majority of mobility related to caregiving tasks. The accessibility of the nearest regional center by public transport is therefore a "key to more autonomy" for women.

Improvement in the Gender Equality Index

Overall, nine dimensions were examined for the index, ranging from education to income to protection against violence. Across all dimensions, the municipalities achieved an average of 49 points. Compared to the first Gender Equality Index of 2021, there have been improvements in most federal states, according to the press release, but the political representation of women is still "a tough nut to crack," said Weninger. Among municipalities, Vienna performed best in the Gender Equality Index, with Viennese districts occupying the first 15 places in the top-20 municipalities ranking. The leader is Vienna-Neubau with 83 points. Outside of Vienna, Eisenstadt, Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Klagenfurt are ahead, followed by the Lower Austrian municipalities of Tulbing and Grafenbach-St. Valentin.

(APA/Red)

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