Background to
the Research
- This
is the fifth 'Where do Women Figure' booklet to be compiled and published
by the EOC. Its aim is to provide a user-friendly digest of the most
recent statistics available about men and women in a broad range of
areas in Northern Ireland.
Main
Findings
Education
and Training
- At GCSE
and A-Level girls do better than boys in the majority of subjects.
- Girls
continue to be under-represented in certain science and technology subjects.
- Girls
account for only a fifth of GCSE technology entrants and 27% of A-Level
physics entrants.
- Only
38% of entrants taking GCSE computers studies are female.
- In 1997-98
females accounted for 56% of full-time undergraduates and 51% of postgraduates.
- At university,
females account for the majrity fo students studying biological sciences
(70%), languages and related studies (75%) and subjects allied to medicine
(83%).
- Females
account for only 14% of engineering and technology students, 26% of
architecture and related studies students, and 32% of mathematical sciences
students.
- The percentage
of females studying education at university has dropped by 18% since
1987/88.
- There
has been an increase in female students studying physical sciences,
which include chemistry, geography, geology, astronomy and oceanography.
In 1997/98 women accounted for 52% of physical science students, an
increase of 18% since 1987/88.
Employment
- Women
are less economically active than men.
- In the
industrial sector, women employees predominate in education, health
and social work.
- The majority
of employers who do work in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, construction,
transport and communication are men.
- Only
9% of females work as managers and administrators, compared to 20% of
males.
- In professional
occupations females tend to work as nurses, teachers or administrators.
Less than one third of females work as doctors and dentists or as accountants,
values, and financial specialists. Under a fifth work as scientists,
engineers or technologists.
- Jobs
which are classified as low paid are predominantly female, e.g. 99%
of secretaries, typists and receptionists and 87% of cleaners, caretakers
and road sweepers are female.
- Just
over 22% of females are likely to work 21 hours or less whilst 5% of
men do the same hours.
- Most
women and men are likely to work between 30-48 hours a week.
- A fifth
of men are likely to work over 48 hours a week.
- Women
with three dependent children are more likely to work part-time than
full-time.
- Women
between the ages of 35-44 are more likely to work part-time than any
other age group.
- Of the
total number of people unemployed, 22% were female, representing 4%
of the workforce.
- Women
earn less than men. In 1998, women's earnings were 84% of men's.
Childcare
Provision
- The number
of day nursery places per 1,000 of the population aged 0-4 in Northern
Ireland has increased from 0.8% in 1975 to 35% in 1998.
- The number
of places in playgroups for those aged 3-4 per 1,000 of the population
had increased in Northern Ireland from 90 in 1975 to 322 in 1998.
Public
Life
- Overall,
nearly half of all trade union members are women.
- The number
of women on public bodies has increased from 19% in 1989 to 34% in 1999.
- 12% of
public bodies remain without any female representation.
- At local
government level, less than 15% of all councillors are female.
- Three
District Council areas have no female councillors while one has 10 female
councillors.
- Of the
candidates standing in the Assembly elections, just over 15% were female.
- The Northern
Ireland Assembly has the lowest number of female representatives out
of all the UK legislative bodies; only 14 out of 108 Assembly members
are women.
Complaints
and Enquiries
- Between
1998-99 the EOC received 3,245 general enquiries from individuals, 747
from employers and 1,963 legal enquiries and complaints.
- Of the
legal complaints, 310 were related to recruitment and selection, 297
were about maternity and pregnancy rights and 255 were about sexual
harassment.
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