Full Minutes of the Meetings

SESSION OF MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2004

The situation of women

Κaramanou (PSE). – Mr. President, it is a great honor for me, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, to intervene in the Plenary within the framework of the oral questions procedure.

Mr. President, today’s International Women’s Day, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of the life and achievements of the Women’s Committee of our Parliament, is a very good opportunity for a review and assessment of our policy on gender equality. Without a doubt, in the past two decades, significant progress has been made in all areas, thanks to the political initiatives taken at both the EU and national levels, as well as the initiatives undertaken by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities of the European Parliament. I would like to take this opportunity to thank President Cox for the support he has given us.

The participation of women in the European Parliament increased from 6% in the appointed Parliament to 16% in 1979, when the first elections were held, and to 31% in 1999. We aim and hope that this percentage will be further strengthened in the upcoming elections of the expanded Europe of 25. Gender equality and the full utilization of women’s productive potential is now recognized by all as a necessary condition for the success of the Lisbon Strategy, as well as for the strengthening of our participatory democracy. Certainly, in the last 20 years, the greatest progress has been made in the participation and performance of women at all levels of education, as today they represent 55% of graduates in the European Union. However, despite the undeniable achievements, significant differences and disparities between the two genders still exist in all areas, as stated in the first annual report of the Commission, which will be discussed at the Spring European Council in a few days.

Violence against women, human trafficking, unemployment, the incompatibility of professional and private life, the inadequacy of infrastructure for child and elderly care, inequality in wages and promotions are urgent problems that require immediate solutions, as they are directly linked to both the violation of rights and the sustainability and competitiveness of the economy. Unfortunately, with concern and sadness, we observe that many Member States, despite having incorporated all the EU directives into their national legislation, show little willingness to promote accompanying measures that would lead to the elimination of inequalities. It is disappointing that many Member States do not even follow the recommendations of the Council. Looking back over the past five years, a significant milestone in promoting equal opportunities was the revision of the directive on equal treatment in the labor market, as well as the promotion of gender mainstreaming.

However, since it is not possible to talk about gender equality only in the workplace, we welcomed the initiative of Mrs. Anna Diamantopoulou for a new directive based on Article 13 of the Treaty that will prohibit any discrimination in access to goods and services. It is a fact that with our joint efforts, and within the framework of the future European Constitution, we can gradually bridge the gender gap in the Union and serve as a shining example for the rest of the world, for regions of the planet where women are still fighting for their fundamental human rights.

As we approach the tenth anniversary of the United Nations World Conference in Beijing in 1995, where 180 governments agreed on a common platform for action to promote women’s rights, we find that those commitments have not been fulfilled. Women still represent 70% of the world’s poor, girls in Sub-Saharan Africa are six times more likely than boys to be infected with the HIV virus, and four million women and children are victims of violence and sexual exploitation. At the same time, women hold only 15.2% of parliamentary seats.
Therefore, in light of the new challenges arising from technological development and the globalization of the economy, we need to renew and intensify our actions for women’s rights, aiming for a democratic and participatory global governance that ensures a fair distribution of the planet’s resources, gender equality, and sustainable development for all. These issues can be discussed at a new conference, which we will call “Beijing +10,” and for which we are expecting a related initiative from the Commission.

Madam Commissioner, I would like to kindly ask you to respond to the topical questions that have been submitted to you: first, what are the specific results of the work of the group of commissioners for the promotion of equality, second, does the Commission agree to appoint a Commissioner who will have gender equality as the main topic of their portfolio, and also – the representatives of the Council are not here; we have asked the question to the Council – to request the Member States to submit a list of three candidates for Commissioners who will represent both genders, in order to achieve a gender-balanced composition of the new Commission. This proposal has already been submitted by the Assembly.