Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-15-Speech-3-173"
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"en.19991215.7.3-173"2
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"Madam President, the 1995 World Conference on Women has given the worldwide fight for freedom and equality for women a shot in the arm. I would like to briefly outline three milestones.
Firstly, the right to sexual self-determination has been recognised as an inherent component of the human rights of women. Secondly, it has been established that the argument of cultural identity cannot justify the on-going suppression of women. Thirdly, it has been stated that women’s policy is not about fancy things for women and a place in the sun, rather the gender dimension should be added to all policy-making decisions.
These achievements, most of which I have listed, must be translated into concrete action. National governments carry most responsibility here and their commitment must be assessed. But hang on. What about the European Union? How is the common position on the follow-up to the World Conference on Women determined? How can the European Parliament carry out its task in this respect?
The conference which the European Commission will organise next February can only help form opinion, it cannot determine policy. Under the rules of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, under which, indeed, the Member States coordinate their action in international organisations, initiative and power of decision lie entirely with the Council, in practice a small group of specialist officials who have the natural tendency to focus on their own mutual problems. I dare say this because I belonged to such a set-up myself for years, namely during the Beijing period.
Such bodies move in the twilight zone of secret diplomacy. Openness and political responsibility, however, should be top of the agenda. This is why I ask the Presidency, by referring to Article 32 of the Treaty on European Union, to brief Parliament as fully as possible, but mainly also to consult Parliament in time. “In time” in this case means in any event before the so-called “preparatory conference”, to be held between 3 and 17 March in New York, because we are probably too late already for the ECE Conference in January. The Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities of this Parliament has the explicit responsibility to monitor the follow-up and implementation of international agreements, such as the Beijing Action Platform. This Committee cannot wait to give its input. It would preferably do this on the basis of tangible, current information and in a constructive dialogue with the Council and the Commission. Talking to a brick wall is, after all, not very productive. This is why I somewhat regret that, because of the strange set-up of this debate, we are having to make do without the Finnish Presidency."@en1
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