In the year 2020, marked by the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the presence of employed women in all economic sectors has been reduced, including the construction sector.
According to the report ‘Women in the Construction sector 2020’, which have been published shortly on the Observatorio Industrial de la Construcción website, with data from the Encuesta de Población Activa (EPA) (Labour Force Survey) of Instituto Nacional de Estadística (National Institute of Statistics), an average of 101,881 women were employed in the construction sector in 2020, which represents 8.2%. The presence of women fell by 10.7% – nearly 12,300 fewer female workers – compared to 2019. The study highlights that, in absolute numbers, “the number of employed women during 2020 fell back to the levels recorded between 2011 and 2012”.
#ConstruyoIgualdad campaign: “Unstoppable. Women in Construction”
These unflattering figures on women in Construction, a traditionally male-dominated sector, show the great work that still needs to be done to ensure that this group is sufficiently represented in the Construction industry. To this end, Fundación Laboral de la Construcción wanted to continue working to increase the presence of this group in the sector by “breaking down stereotypes and false beliefs”. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8th, 2021, and as a continuation of the campaign developed in 2019 under the concept #ConstruyoIgualdad (I Build Equality), this year it wants to give value and visibility to women who decided to take the step, bet and work in Construction, through the campaign: “Unstoppable. Women in Construction”.
This action forms part of the 170 measures included in the Equality Plan of Fundación Laboral, aimed at eradicating direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of sex between male and female workers, in order to achieve equal rights and opportunities.
The campaign proposes that workers in the sector join the #ConstruyoIgualdad movement, inviting all professionals to take a photograph of a woman they consider a role model in the sector “for her strength and passion”, and share it on their social networks – with the hashtag #ConstruyoIgualdad -, explaining the reasons for their choice. Likewise, in the days leading up to International Women’s Day, Fundación Laboral will broadcast a video in which its trainees and trainers have participated to give visibility to this group and to encourage and invite many other women “to opt for construction as a way to build a future in the labour market”.
In addition, Fundación Laboral is the leader of the European project “Women Can Build”, through which it works for equal opportunities between men and women in the Construction industry.
Likewise, from the European project “Construction Blueprint”, which is also led by the joint entity, Fundación Laboral aims to start up joint actions to promote the attractiveness of the sector as a first vocational choice, among youngsters and particularly for women.
• Find out more about this initiative of Fundación Laboral at construyoigualdad.fundacionlaboral.org
www.fundacionlaboral.org or @Fund_Laboral