Gender Equality Policy in the European Union - A Fast Track to Parity for the New Member States

This book examines the role that the European Union (EU) has played in enhancing democratic values in new member states by requiring the adoption of gender equality laws, such as equal employment and reconciliation policies, in return for membership. Considering four EU member states in Central Eastern Europe - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia and Poland - it debates if and under what conditions the incentives for EU membership positively affected the successful adoption and implementation of gender equality policies. The book looks at the role of formal and informal domestic institutions to understand successful alliances in each case study, and considers the dynamic relationship between domestic and international actors in the context of global governance. Engaging with the study of public policy, this book discusses how the EU is capable of successful promotion of human rights and democratic values in general and provides insight on how any supranational organization can establish effective incentive structures to produce desired outcomes.

List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations 1. Introduction 2. Adoption and Implementation of Equal Employment Policies in Four Countries 3. Beyond Employment: Addressing the Private and Public Divide through Reconciliation Policies 4. The Role of Formal and Informal Institutions in the Policy Process 5. Modernization and Cultural Explanations with a Strong Dose of Communist Legacy 6. Actors, Norms and Institutions: The Necessary Ingredients for a Successful Policy Model 7. Conclusion Appendix: Summary of Directives under Study Bibliography Index