On the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, the Secular Action Centre (Centre d'Action Laïque) is sounding the alarm over the agreement reached by Belgium's new Federal 'Arizona' Government, which it considers to be "a real step backwards for women's autonomy and rights."
The organisation points in particular to the composition of the government, with only four women ministers and none in the "core cabinet" of deputy prime ministers. It also criticises the lack of an "explicit priority" given to gender equality in the agreement, a term that "only appears in the sections on asylum and immigration."
On the socio-economic front, the CAL stresses that the reform of pensions and the labour market constitutes "a disaster in the making" for women, as it "penalises women working part-time, those with interrupted careers and single mothers."
The organisation also deplores the fact that the status of cohabitant has been maintained and that the marital quotient has simply been reduced rather than abolished.
Making women more vulnerable
The government's inaction on voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion) is "another alarming signal," they said. "Despite a scientific consensus in favour of extending the legal waiting period to 18 weeks and abolishing the compulsory reflection period, the agreement confines itself to pursuing the debate." This "culpable inaction sacrifices sexual and reproductive rights on the altar of political compromise."
Moreover, the gradual abolition of the survivor's pension, the extension of working hours (including nights and Sundays) and the increased pressure on people on long-term sick leave "will make women even more vulnerable, especially those already in precarious situations."
As for the reform of parental leave, "it carefully avoids imposing compulsory paternity leave, thus maintaining an unequal distribution of family responsibilities between men and women."
The organisation concludes that "far from promoting equality, this federal agreement favours a handful of already privileged men and condemns women to remain in the shadows," and calls for gender equality to be made a genuine political priority.
