Strasbourg, 12/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) opened its plenary session on Monday 11 March 2013 on the theme of International Women's Day, which was celebrated last Friday. The first three debates were on how the economic crisis is affecting women, removing gender stereotypes and the role of women in North Africa. Three resolutions were adopted in this connection on Tuesday.
The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, opened the plenary by talking about gender equality, saying that the fight must go on because women earned more than 16% less than men and were under-represented in politics and the business world. He said the scale of violence against women is still intolerable and called for zero tolerance for female genital mutilation, calling urgently for suitable mechanisms to be set up in the EU and elsewhere to protect young girls from such practices.
Women in the economic crisis. MEPs discussed three draft resolutions ahead of voting on Tuesday 12 March. An own initiative report by Elisabeth Morin Chartier (EPP, France) on how the crisis is affecting gender equality and women's rights was voted through by 495 to 96, with 69 abstentions. The EP slams the cuts in public spending and the austerity measures that are making women's lives worse. Morin Chartier talked of a silent crisis for women, saying that the economic crisis, unemployment, lack of job security, part-time work, low pay and slow career development affected women more than men. At present, she said, the austerity policies were a double whammy for women. The resolution says that the crisis most not be allowed to hijack the successes achieved by policies to promote sexual equality and must not be used as an excuse to relax efforts in this connection. MEPs call on the European Commission to include the gender dimension in all policies, particularly those connected with the impact of austerity measures, saying that women have a key role to play in fighting the crisis and should therefore be fully involved in managing economic stimulus plans. The EP calls for a directive on reducing the pay gap and recommends investment in adult training, teleworking, female entrepreneurship and child-minding services. MEPs want the structural funds to be altered to match women's needs.
Tackling stereotypes. The second resolution was on tackling gender stereotypes in the European Union. The own initiative report by Kartika Tamara Liotard (GUE/NGL, the Netherlands) was voted through by 368 to 159, with 98 abstentions. MEPs are particularly keen to get rid of stereotypes in the media, advertising, children's television and education and want to reduce children's exposure to sexism. They want gender mainstreaming to be covered in teacher training and school books in order to pick stereotypes apart at the seams, highlighting gaps in EU legislation. The EP recommends that the European Social Fund should be used to encourage women into jobs seen traditionally as men's jobs, like IT and mechanics. Women should be given a greater role in economic and political decision-making, which is why the MEPs recommend the introduction of compulsory quotas in national parliaments and urge the member states to field male and female candidates for European commissioners. The MEPs want the next European Commission to be half women, half men. Finally, MEPs recommend that cash raised from fines for failing to respect quotas for women should be used to set up an equality fund.
Women in North Africa. The third resolution adopted on Tuesday was on the protection of women's rights in North Africa. MEPs want the constitutions of North African countries to make explicit reference to women's equality and ending violence against women. Silvia Costa (S&D, Italy), who drafted the resolution, explained that it was to give support to women fighting in North Africa for freedom, democracy and universal human rights. She said they must be backed and helped in this difficult transition period and be assured that their rights are recognised and protected by law and in the constitution.
For all the European Parliament's good intentions, none of the three resolutions is legally binding in any way. (MD/transl.fl)