Brussels, 04/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption, on Wednesday 3 September by 504 votes to 110 and 22 abstentions, of the report by Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/NGL, Sweden) on the impact that marketing and advertising have on gender equality, the European Parliament hopes to dispel the stereotypes of advertising messages. MEPs take the view that advertising showing stereotypes based on gender are an obstacle to the emergence of a modern, equal society.
The Parliament calls on the: - Council, Commission and member states to set in place actions to heighten awareness of sexist insults or degrading pictures of men or women in advertising and marketing; - member states to study and report on the image of women in advertising and marketing; - advertisers to be more circumspect in the use of extremely thin women for promoting products. A press release states that the EP places special emphasis on: - the need for good examples from a gender perspective, considering that member states should make official the award of a prize by advertisers to members of their own industry, intended to reward those who break with gender stereotypes; - and the harmful effects that advertising and marketing may have on those subject to eating disorders. Finally, the plenary assembly did not take on board the proposals put forward by the committee on women's rights and gender equality inviting the Commission and EU member states to set in place a code of conduct, ethical codes and legal rules.
Expressing her satisfaction at the outcome of the vote (which followed a very heated debate during a night session), Eva-Britt Svensson said: “I have a vision, a dream, that in future young girls and young boys can choose their way of living as they really want and not as a result of gender stereotyping”. (G.B./transl.jl)