Social Change School supports the international strike in Madrid for Women’s Rights (and human intelligence!)
The Board and the staff of the Social Change School support the strike in Madrid and its Manifesto:
“No aceptamos estar sometidas a peores condiciones laborales, ni cobrar menos que los hombres por el mismo trabajo. Por eso, hoy también hacemos huelga laboral. Huelga contra los techos de cristal y la precariedad laboral…” (“We do not accept being subjected to worst working conditions, nor being paid less than men for the same job. And it’s for this reason that today we are going on a strike. A strike against the glass ceiling and precarious work…”
Maria Sole Raimondi, Master FRAME Coordinator, will be taking part as our delegate by following the protest and reporting to the School.
Rocio Requena and Marco Crescenzi, Responsibles for the School, are happy to remember that:
– Since our foundation 20 years ago, the gender balance in the School has been on average of 60% women and 40% men (not because of a “gender based” policy but because of a “talent based” one).
– The decisions on salary conditions have always been connected with seniority and talent, we have never even thought, not even remotely, to apply “salary for gender” conditions.
The “top management” of the School is equally divided between men and women, 50%: Rocio and Marco share the same level of responsibility. Management is equally divided. About Middle Management, 3 out of 4 Master Programmes are coordinated by women colleagues.
Cinzia D’Intino, Head of Didactics, reminds that “70% of SCS’ students are women, and many of them are now managers in the NGOs. We have also happily welcomed students who attended lessons with their babies while breast-feeding. About disadvantaged people, the School in general made its classrooms and didactics as accessible as possible.”
The staff thinks that “gender inequality” is intolerable and, from a management point of view, stupid and damaging for any organization. The battle for equal salaries and management is not only feminist or “politically correct” but of general interest for humankind’s development and for the labour market, in all its sectors.
About non-profit sector, a large majority of professionals are women, and equal pay for equal work is a must in the NGOs.
In the field of international cooperation, NGOs are keener to invest on women as they represent a more reliable and key “social actor” for the success of projects.
Foul episodes of abuse committed by male colleagues in positions of power (i.e. texts, emails, undesired advances) in the NGOs, are incredibly low when compared with other sectors, and the position of the School on these cases is of zero tolerance.
Following, the words of Marco Crescenzi, President of Social Change School:
“Unfortunately, the glass ceiling – women’s access to top management position – is still a problem in NGOs worldwide, even if less common when compared to the “profit” sector. In my experience, it doesn’t just depend on discrimination, but it is also related to the “familiar weight” and duties women are culturally used to perceive and that in many cases lead them to take a step back in their careers.”
We are heading towards a society that in a few decades will surely see the increase of women’s leadership in all the sectors of our society – and it is very important to create a more shared responsibility, and an open environment for all our professionals. Not because of “ethics” but because we see the best things – creativity, problem solving, happiness – coming from diversity, inclusion, participation to decisions and cultural integration.
#HaciaLaHuelgaFeminista #8MarzoHuelgaFeminista #8march #FeministStrike #8M #InternationalWomensDay
Image source: hacialahuelgafeminista.org
