Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-01-19-Speech-4-038"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20060119.5.4-038"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, when the Heads of State or Government of the Member States met in Lisbon and adopted the Lisbon Strategy, they acted as if they were directors of production companies. According to the aforementioned Strategy, the European Union was to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, and was to overtake the United States of America. One of the long-term aims set was a 70% increase in the employment rate. This is to be achieved by raising the retirement age, thus depriving citizens of the restful retirement they are entitled to. Another aim set is to use human capital to greater advantage by making workers more productive. Europeans themselves are opposed to this, as they wish to have more leisure time and longer holidays.
Certain Members of the House are very familiar with pressure of this kind. It was a feature of the Soviet Communist era, especially of the 1950’s. People were worked so hard that they would achieve 200% of the target set only to die of exhaustion before being awarded posthumous medals. In the spirit of gender equality, women are now also supposed to go out to work, instead of bringing up their children. The Strategy calls for the provision of day-care facilities for at least 90% of children over three years of age, and for at least 30% of children below three. Sadly, we are all too familiar with the results of a similar experiment that took place during Socialism’s darkest and most misguided period. Society needs to understand that no institution can ever replace a mother when it comes to caring for young children, even up to the age of seven. Only a mother can provide the kind of love that is essential for a child to develop properly.
It would therefore be more appropriate for the Strategy to provide payments and pension rights for mothers bringing up their children. This would help reduce unemployment. More importantly, it would be the best investment we could make for our future, because children and young people are our future. We are opposed to treating individuals simply as units of labour and to the exploitation of women. Women should enjoy special protection, as it is they who bear and bring up the next generation."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples