Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-03-08-Speech-2-117-000"
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"en.20110308.8.2-117-000"2
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"Mr President, Mrs Győri, honourable Members, today, we remember the voices of those women who, on 19 March 1911, set off from Germany, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland, gathering in numbers along the way, and going ever further to defend the rights of women to universal suffrage and to better working conditions.
Today, we pay homage to a century of struggle and of success that has benefited us all. Where would our democracies be and, in particular, the European democracy represented here in the European Parliament, without the full participation of women in public life? Where would our societies and our economies be without the talent of women?
In many ways, European women serve as role models for the rest of the world. The place held by European women in our societies is a source of inspiration for women worldwide. In this respect, I would like to mention the courageous struggle of women in North Africa who, shoulder to shoulder with men, are doing everything they can to resist dictatorships and establish democracies. The active role that European women now have in the economic and political life of the European Union is the result of their determined commitment. We welcome European integration, one of the founding principles of which is equality between men and women, a principle that is fully recognised in the Treaty of Lisbon. Over the years, important legislation on equal treatment and gender mainstreaming in European policies has allowed us to move towards a more egalitarian society and labour market.
But we should also be outraged at what remains disappointing, unacceptable, or even intolerable. I refer to an average rate of female employment at 62.5% as opposed to 80% for men, increasing academic success amongst women which contrasts with their career prospects: this is still disappointing and has to change. Women are over-represented in lower paid and less secure jobs, and under-represented in positions of responsibility. Disparity between the pay received by women and men stands at 18%, which results in the risk of 22% of women over the age of 65 falling below the poverty threshold as they have no adequate pension: this is unacceptable and has to change. According to estimates, 20 to 25% of women in the European Union have been subjected to physical violence at least once in their life. This is intolerable and has to change.
Today, we must renew our commitment to continue working together so that gender equality really does become a reality. We all stand to gain, whether in terms of social and economic cohesion, sustainable growth or competitiveness.
In September 2010, the Commission adopted a strategy which set out five priority areas for action for the period 2010-2015: equality in the labour market, equal economic independence for men and women, equal pay, equality in senior positions and promoting equality beyond the EU.
The Commission will continue to stand side by side with women from all corners of the earth who fight the daily battle for access to education and to the right to work, with those fighting for democratisation and for the exercise of freedoms and political and civil rights. The Commission will do everything within its power to ensure that these goals become a reality. However, we must not forget that legislation – however well implemented – is not the answer to everything. Behaviour and attitudes must also change.
Honourable Members, today, we commemorate women’s fight for equality. In Europe today, we can say that the EU would not be possible without European women, all European women! They provide key inputs to our project based on values, including the values of gender equality."@en1
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