The current situation of the labour market and welfare across Europe is extremely worrying, as recent reforms by national authorities have led to and could continue resulting in cuts in public funding and reduced social dialogue.

Precariousness and job insecurity are two prerequisites for expanding gender inequalities in the society as a whole.

Women are still paid less than men; the gender pay gap has not narrowed in recent years; older women are in big risk of poverty; women’s average pension is lower than that of men; despite of high level of education decision making positions at political and economic level are predominantly held by men; glass ceilings that stop women rising up the work hierarchy; glass walls that segregate women into particular jobs; women are not enough represented in decision making positions in trade unions; persistence of domestic violence and violence at workplace; vulnerable groups: younger generation-gender stereotypes and disparities; gender inequalities in education; migrant women - have fewer opportunities and resources and face multiple discrimination; elderly women- greater risk of poverty.

The Women’s Committee Work Program for 2016-2017 contains the following four main themes: implement gender mainstreaming into all policies of PERC; promote equal treatment; fight to eliminate gender pay gap and pensions gap ; deal with challenges as concerns work-life balance; promote women in decision-making positions in trade unions at all levels and fight against violence at work. PERC Women’s Committee made an appeal to all PERC organizations to lobby for an international ILO instrument to fight violence against women and men at the workplace and join the ITUC /PERC campaign on fighting violence.