Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-04-06-Speech-3-729-000"
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"en.20110406.41.3-729-000"2
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"Madam President, we must reject in the strongest possible terms any targeting of violence against women, from intimidation to sexual assault. These are abhorrent crimes, often perpetrated against the most vulnerable and defenceless people.
Unfortunately, it is a fact that many countries across the world, not only in North Africa and in the Middle East, still lack a proper legal framework to protect women and girls from violence. There is nothing to encourage the reporting of such attacks. Much more must be done to deter perpetrators and to hold them accountable for their actions. Women continue to endure discriminatory laws and deeply entrenched cultural inequality. In the case of Egypt, for example, the national committee formed to write the new constitution is composed only of men, and even the new cabinet has only one female minister.
This is not sustainable, as was made clear by the courage shown by Tunisian and Egyptian women during the recent events in their countries. If half the population is excluded from political and institutional reform, it can hardly succeed.
Against this backdrop, we strongly condemn the increasing reports of severe human rights violations including rape, sexual assault and severe humiliation of women activists. The European Union is committed to strengthening the role of women in political, civil, social, economic and cultural spheres, as well as to fighting against discrimination and impunity. This is why one of the EU’s eight Human Rights Guidelines explicitly aims to ‘promote gender equality and combat discrimination against women’. And the Barcelona Declaration of 1995, which established the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, specifically reinforces this commitment for the Euromed region.
Gender equality is one of the five-year work plan priorities agreed by the Heads of State at the Barcelona Summit in 2005, held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
In view of these commitments, the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial conference on strengthening the role of women in society, held in November 2006 in Istanbul, started an innovative and pioneering process. Ministers (including those from Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria and Tunisia) agreed to embrace a holistic approach based on the following interlinked priorities: first, women’s political and civil rights; second, women’s social and economic rights and sustainable development; and finally, women’s rights in the cultural sphere and the role of communications and the mass media.
Since the 2006 conference, work has been ongoing on implementation of a Common Framework of Action, in particular, through the pursuit of country priorities, with a follow-up mechanism and reports published by the European Commission. The partners in the Union for the Mediterranean reaffirmed their commitments to this at the second Ministerial conference in Marrakesh in November 2009. Civil society was fully involved in the discussions. Increasing awareness and visibility of the process was one of the big challenges agreed by almost all participants in the process.
Beyond this regional framework, the European Union’s bilateral dialogue, including through sub-committees dealing with gender issues, is an important method for addressing these pressing concerns.
Let me conclude, Madam President, by saying that the European Union will not tolerate violence against women in any form and we will use every avenue we can to prevent it."@en1
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