Consolidating a new advance in public policies for gender equality, the mayor Enrique Cresto enacted the ordinance establishing that “companies awarded public works within the city of Concordia must have a minimum quota of 10% female labor in their payroll, distributed across the different construction phases, especially including the execution stage,” as specified in the text of said regulation.
In this context, the Secretary of Urban Development, Mireya López Bernis; the Vice President of the Deliberative Council, Claudia Villalba; and the Coordinator of Strategic Affairs, María de los Ángeles Petit, highlighted that this decision represents “a new step forward in the recognition of women's rights and in the generation of more job opportunities in traditionally male-dominated fields.”
“The Executive's project determines that companies awarded public works must sign a commitment to develop gender-related actions within their scope, through awareness, training, and action protocols to prevent and address gender-based violence,” explained Petit.
“The commitment clause must be integrated into the bidding documents and contracts carried out by the municipal administration, including contracts with cooperative entities,” she added. “The Registry of Local Female Workers for Public Works is also created within the scope of the Secretariat of Urban Development, with the aim of prioritizing access to employment for female workers, democratizing access to employment with a gender perspective, and maintaining a permanent and updated survey of female workers trained in the different trades involved in public works,” detailed the specialist in gender issues.
MANAGEMENT MODEL
“We are proud of the progress this administration has achieved regarding the protection and defense of women's rights and equal opportunities,” said Councilwoman Villalba. “Concordia is the only city in the province of Entre Ríos and one of the few in the country that, as of today, has this legal tool for the inclusion of women in public works, which not only seeks for more women to enter the labor market, but also for companies to become aware that they must adopt and adapt their actions to a gender perspective,” she concluded.