Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-03-01-Speech-3-106"
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"en.20000301.6.3-106"2
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"Mr President, today’s debate is devoted to the subject of the composition of decision-making bodies and changes to the decision-making system in Europe. We have entered a new period in which there is a fairly full institutional framework and in which women are well represented in all sectors, education, work, culture. The problem which we have to deal with is how to change the composition of the decision-making centres. The debate is a deeply political one.
There are two approaches. The first is a policy of persuasion. Gradually everyone will be persuaded that women can become involved. Three comments: the first is based on the fact that women are able. I can, therefore all women can. How do we respond therefore to the fact that women are excluded? We are able but the rest of the female population is not? Here lies the danger of female arrogance in politics. Because women have to deal with different realities. Because they have fewer opportunities. Because they have a different level of education. Because they have to face social obstacles. Because they never have time to deal with matters of public interest.
The second comment is that we need to persuade the political leaders. Not necessary! They have all been persuaded! There is not one male politician who does not agree to the involvement of women. There is not one party, from the far left to the far right, which does not stress the need for women to take part. On paper!
Thirdly, we must expect things to change gradually. The women’s conference in Beijing brought an important point to light. With the rate at which the representation of women is developing at international level, it will take 2,300 years to achieve a balance between men and women. As far as Europe is concerned, as far as the European Parliament is concerned, where there is a quota for the involvement of women, it will take 25 years to achieve balanced representation.
The second approach is a compulsory legislative commitment on the representation of women. Quotas alone are not enough. If only a legislative decree were all it took to change centuries of history. On this we are clear. Quotas are one
of the ways, one of the policies needed to bring about change.
Finally, on the question of whether, as the product of quotas, we can be proud, I would reply categorically that I would be very proud to be the product of a quota because it would mean that I had managed to impose quotas on Greece, where the level of representation of women is 5%."@en1
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