Lithuanian PM vows setting up panel to improve prevention of violence against women

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis has pledged to set up a special working group to draft an action plan to improve prevention of violence against women.

The government said in a statement on Thursday that it was concluded during the prime minister's recent meeting with representatives of women's organizations that a lack of programs for the prevention of violence against women remains a serious problem.

The meeting also touched upon the issues of female poverty in the old age, the gap between men and women's wages and more flexible working conditions for women raising children.

The prime minister believes it's important to reduce the pay gap, implement the policy of equal opportunities in the business sector and have and apply anti-discriminatory measures for the same work to be paid equally.

"The Labor Inspectorate is carrying out such inspections and is consulting business but we need to raise awareness of this problem and educate the society about these problems," the government statement reads.