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Delegates unanimously backed demands to stamp out inequality in recruitment, selection, promotion and in access to work, training and equal pay.

Unions also vowed to continue to act to address under-representation of women at senior levels of both the industry and the unions and to work to improve gender portrayal in the media - a key factor in shaping public opinion.

Yvette Butoyi told delegates how a UNI survey had exposed pay inequality, highlighted the need for unions to have equality officers and set the basis for the Equality Behind the Screen and Stage campaign to secure pay parity, consider ways to get women in to senior positions and deliver a better work-life balance for all.

Ana Molano, Vice-President of Euro-MEI said the project highlighted the need for training for companies and unions in developing non-sexist policies and to improve the access of women to all jobs. She added: "Work-life balance must be more than just maternity leave it must apply to all responsibilities that go beyond the workplace. Collective bargaining is the key to achieving a real work-life balance.”

There had already been successes thanks to union action and campaigns on equality. Adriana Pella from SUTEP in Argentina told delegates how they had persuaded the government to carry out equal pay inspections in theatres, amusement parks and other parts of the entertainment industry, giving the unions access to company records to monitor equal pay.

In Asia, UNI's commitment to increasing women's participation in unions is being turned from theory in to action. Yoko Ogawa, director of UNI Apro's Women's Committee, was urging all union leaders to publicly commit to women's representation of at least 40% on leading union bodies. Work is also under way to address reasons why women were not or could not be active in some unions.

Summing up the debate, UNI-MEI President Heinrich Bleicher Nagelsman pledged continued action to address all inequality.

He said: "The brilliant and inspiring work our women members and our unions are doing along with our strategy for 40% is bringing about real change, but there is more work to do."

Click here to see photos from the conference.