05/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - During a debate organised by the European Parliament women's rights committee on Thursday 5 March, European and national MPs highlighted the importance of having more women in institutions. On the International Women's Day, speakers stressed the importance for democracy of greater parity and the role that political parties could play in this. Differences were apparent, however, on how to achieve the end (fines, quotas, etc). “Women represent on average 25% of elected representatives in national parliaments, and 31¨% in the European Parliament. Only 11% of the Boards of major companies are women,” lamented the chairwoman of the Parliamentary committee Anna Záborská (EPP-ED, Slovakia), noting that there still was discrimination and violence against women and the wage gap was widening. (A.B./transl.rt)