Full Minutes of the Meetings

SESSION OF WEDNESDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2003

Situation of fundamental rights in the European Union (2002)

Karamanou (PSE), Rapporteur of the Opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality . – Mr. President, I would like to congratulate the rapporteur Mr. Sylla, who carried out a very difficult task.

As the drafter of the opinion of the Committee on Women, I would like to express our deep satisfaction with the observations and recommendations of the report regarding the safeguarding and implementation in everyday life and practice of democracy and equality, in the sense of balanced gender participation in democratic institutions and the respect for women’s human rights.

It is not possible, Commissioner, in 21st century Europe for women to be treated as people and citizens with limited rights. It is unacceptable that there are still professional sectors and areas within the European Union where community legislation, democratic rules, and fundamental freedoms apply only to men.

My committee has repeatedly condemned discrimination based on gender, as well as discrimination based on sexual orientation or national and social origin. In other words, we condemn the double standards that stem primarily from cultural traditions and social stereotypes, which today refer to dark and sorrowful periods in the history of humanity.

We consistently and firmly demand the obvious: that human rights and fundamental freedoms apply equally to men and women, without any distinction whatsoever. Only then will we be able to speak of the universality of human rights and of mainstreaming.

On the occasion of today’s vote on the report regarding the DAPHNE programme for the prevention and combating of violence against women, I would like, Commissioner, to once again ask the European Commission, as well as the Member States, to place the fight against violence against women high on their political agenda, as it represents the worst form of violation of women’s rights. I believe that no policy should carry more weight than the protection of human rights.