If we still have a long way to go towards equality between women and men much is due to the stereotyped gender roles women and men continue to have in today’s society. The influence of stereotype thinking continues to confine women and men into specific areas and to limit their possibilities at work but furthermore also has an impact on the possibilities of economic development in Europe so much needed to achieve the economic targets of the Lisbon strategy. Women continue to work in traditional jobs in traditional sectors which are less paid without being encouraged to think about sectors like construction,engineering,plumbing or information technology.Research tend to prove that a majority of women work in what is referred to as the 5 c’s group namely caring, cleaning, catering, clerical and cashiering. To achieve gender equality more men would also be needed in the female-dominated areas like childcare and the care sector in general- how do we change this imbalance ?How do we tackle sex stereotyping in education and in the labour market ?

School programs if more properly designed could influence gender role stereotyping and help combat discrimination against women and girls. The impact of stories for children and later on school books play an important role. I myself grew up in Sweden and was not influenced by stories of charming princes but rather by Fifi Brindacier, an autonomous girl living by herself, having strength enough to lift her horse and with a bag of golden coins to ensure her needs. It is perhaps interesting to know that Astrid Lindgren the writer behind this story belonged to the first generation of single mothers.School books today still have a tendency to describe boys as strong, adventurous and brave wheras girls are seen as shy, sensitive and playing care and reproductive roles.Pictures of fathers reading their paper in front of the television after coming from work and the mother in the kitchen are still current.In fact men continue to be seen as breadwinners belonging to the public sphere and women as caring mothers to the private one. At the opening of the World Conference of Women in Mexico many years ago, Ms. Helvi Sipilä from Finland and the only woman so far to have been Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, made a great impression on me while stating “Women are still objects not subjects”. Years have passed but the situation today is fairly much the same : women have difficulties to be perceived as citizens and thus to be equally represented in the decision-making areas and in particular in higher positions.This is also true in the education system. At the primary level there is a predomination of female teachers wheras at universities women are underrepresented in higher decision-making positions.Positive role models for girl students are therefore of great importance and there is a need for female teachers who are aware of the discrimination girls face and who can understand their needs. An investigation research in 2004 carried out in the United Kingdom reveals that a majority of women questionned thought that the advice about career choices was influenced by their sex. Traditionnal environments also have put forward limited choices.I can myself remember the question my father raised to me when I was at school “What would you like to become : nurse or teacher ?” When I replied neither nor I can still see my father’s expression of non comprehension. The question which followed “What would you do then ?” clearly shows how limited the choices were.These have fortunately developed today but we still have much to do to change mentalities.Gender equality can only be achieved when women and men both have an equal access to the public and private sphere.

Since childhood we are influenced by stereotyped values in society where men are seen as strong and women as weak. What is perceived as feminine and masculine is defined according to these stereotyped values. If I had a hole in my dress when climbing trees I was told it was not feminine wheras my brother heard encouragements like “what strength !” Sometimes these values are put forward unconsciously even by people who generally speaking are aware of gender inequality. When visiting a friend her two children came back from school and I heard her ask the girl to lay the table wheras the boy went up to his room.It is clear that if both women and men are to both work full time outside the home household tasks and reseponsabilities need to be shared equally by both.When looking at statistics about men’s helping at home it is still an evidence that in most european countries it is very weak.Sometimes women themselves do not encourage their participation.There is also a clear paradox in the way we perceive women’s and men’s values related to cooking : even if a majority of women cook every day the best cooks are considered to be men.

Languages are also important instruments to put forward gender stereotyped roles. Sometimes languages use different words when referring to actions of women and men.In the English language the word ‘faint’ is used when it refers to a woman indicating a theatrical weakness and perhaps just imagined whereas the word ‘pass out’ would be used for a man indicating strength or falling to the floor like a stone. Expressions like in the French language “Sois belle et tais toi” clearly designate and limit women’s place.The feminisation of titles have in many countries met with ridicule and strong opposition. In Belgium when asking “Le Secretaire Communal’ why she did not use “la”in front of her title she replied that it would diminish her status and that she would be considered a vulgar secretary !The very structure of languages explain much of our look upon gender. In the French language with only feminine and masculine genders the word power for instance is masculine wheras weakness is feminine ! The strict division of words into masculine and feminine in the French language does not exist in other languages like for instance German where there is a neutral and interestingly enough in the Finnish language there is no gender at all.

The gendered roles we also meet in the school yard. There is always a place for boys to play ball but what is there for girls ? A responsable in Belgium said that “ we have become so much more equal now - women can also play football”. But what about if they don’t want to play football ? The masculine values prevail and women find it hard to enter their feminine values.The prejudice against women in certain areas is very strong. A researcher in science was asked what she remembered during the advancement in her scientific career as difficult when working with male colleagues. She then stated a phrase from one of her male colleagues : “Women are made for other things” and how she had returned the question “What other things ?” Women continue to be seen as not serious and in very important debates there are in many countries an all men composition of round tables and panels.For high level positions whether leading national governments or international organisations women are asked to prove their competence although often more qualified. Recent titles in the French media stating ”Is France ready for a female President ?”show that whatever high level experiences women have mentalities need to develop to accept their place. Women in many european countries are directed to lead ministeries within the social, family or education area but are more rarely responsable for the finance ministry which determines where the budget priorities will go. Apart from some exceptions rare are those women who are Ministers of Finance of a European state. I remember a former debate where a man stated he was doubtful that a woman could take care of a country’s finances and a woman present answered that is what women do around the kitchen table every day. A preconceived perception of the role women play during and after conflicts is another stereotype. Whether in peace or in war women’s contributions as actors during and after conflict are mostly forgotten and the mere role as victim is put forward.

Women are brought up to please and men to lead. This is accentuated in the stereotypical roles that women and men have in the media. Images of women as commercial objects who are supposed to sell anything from biscuits to matlasses or cars prevail but degrading pictures in pornography further show them as sex objects. We need other role models than Britney Spears or Madonna.The recent campaign by Oréal/UNESCO is a good example of an awareness raising campaign to show other role models.By giving awards in science to one woman from each continent and by presenting these women in the French press young girls can be inspired by these women and encouraged to enter other areas like science and research.

It is time we get rid of phrases like “Women cannot drive”, “Dumb blonds” or “Boy’s must not cry” and instead promote equality in education and in society in general. Equality can only be achieved when men and women together share public and private responsabilities. Being equal does not exclude being polite like opening a door for a woman or help serving a glass of wine to a man. Respectful attitudes to encourage women’s self-esteem are important in order to achieve constructive relations between women and men but are also important as models for the coming generation.Prejudices and myths must be faught like the old saying stating that prostitution for instance is the oldest profession in the world wheras everybody knows that it is rather hunter or fisherman. The creation of myths and stereotypes confine women and men in locked up situations which limit their freedom. Instead let us promote the value that Women and Men can both do anything.