COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

 

 

8th of MARCH 2004

STRASBOURG

Statement by Anna Karamanou

Chair of the Committee on Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities

of the European Parliament

 

 

 

I am delighted today, that we are celebrating 20 years of achievements of our Committee on International Women's Day of 2004, here in Strasbourg, together with former presidents of our committee and members who have over the years fought for women's rights.  Looking back into 20 years we can celebrate the continuous increase in the numbers of women in the European politics.  The percentage of women jumped from 6% in the non elected parliament to 16% in the first elections of 1979 and improved every five years to reach 31% in 1999. We expect further improve in the first enlarged European Parliament to be elected in June. We have reminded all party leaders to respect gender equality and set up gender-balanced lists for the next parliament. Gender equality and full utilization of women's potential have been recognized as a conditions sine qua non for attaining the Lisbon objectives and reinforcing participatory democracy.

 

Without any doubt the greatest achievement over the years has been women's participation in education, since women today throughout Europe outnumber and outperform men in all levels and they represent the majority of graduates in the EU. However, despite all these achievements persistent gender disparities are still present in many areas, as the First Annual Report of the Commission reveals: Violence against women, trade in sex, unemployment, incompatibility of professional with private life, insufficiency of child care infrastructure, pay gaps, gender imbalances in the decision making process, constitute some burning problems which need urgent solutions, since all of them are dialectically connected both to violations of basic rights as well as to sustainability and competitiveness of our economy.

 

I am sure that the implementation of the principle of gender mainstreaming in all strategic areas plus a fair share of political power between men and women can lead to a fairer and a more democratic society. Allow me to remind that our Committee has played an active role in order to safeguard gender equality in the future Constitution of Europe. We appreciate the results achieved so far.

In reviewing the last five year period, a milestone in promoting gender equality was reached with the updating of the Directive on Equal Treatment as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion. However equality must be applied not only in the workplace and therefore we welcomed commissioner's Diamantopoulou initiative for a new Directive banning sex discrimination in access to goods and services.

Without any doubt, we have achieved to narrow the gender gap in the Union, which remains a good example for the rest of the world, for regions where women still have to struggle a lot for their basic human rights.  Our Committee is willing to strengthen even more its international role, in the next legislative period. Ten years after the UN Beijing International Women's Conference, at which 180 governments agreed on a common Platform of Action to advance women's rights around the world, women continue to represent 70% of people living below poverty line, while 4 million women and children are the victims of violence and sexual exploitation. At the same time women only hold 15.2% of seats in national parliaments.

On this 8 of March, 14 weeks before the European elections, we want to send a strong message to the world giving attention to future challenges in the fight towards gender equality and parity democracy. We need to double our efforts, to renew our strategy and create fresh impetus and a new approach in the run up to the UN Beijing + 10 Conference.

Together we can make global progress for women happen. Let's make this 8 of March mark a new start.

 

 

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