Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-10-28-Speech-4-011"
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"en.20041028.2.4-011"2
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".
Mr President, Madam Commissioner, on Sunday 17 October the international community observed the International Day for the Elimination of Poverty, in order to draw attention to poverty as a violation of human rights.
Many have already heard of the Stability and Growth Pact. On 17 October I would like to introduce another kind of stability pact, an internal stability pact, which would give women and impoverished families more self-esteem and dignity, a pact that would open the doors of society to women and the poor. We should support this pact for internal stability within an enlarged Europe and eliminate poverty, thereby promoting solidarity between generations, outlawing discrimination, and encouraging equality of opportunity and constructive dialogue, so that together we can build a genuine partnership with the weakest members of society.
We are endeavouring to eliminate poverty, but, if we are to succeed in this, society must redouble its efforts. It must take as its starting-point the experiences of those who actually live in poverty, and of the families that reject poverty and do everything to ensure a better future for their children. Such people are a lasting testimony to the idea that wherever there are women, children and men condemned to a life of poverty, their human rights are violated. It is our fundamental duty to unite in order to ensure that these rights are respected throughout the European Union.
On 17 October 1987, in response to the call of Father Jozef Brezinsky, 100 000 defenders of human rights gathered in rue Trocadero in Paris to pay their respects to the victims of hunger, violence and ignorance. They demonstrated their opposition to poverty and called on the human race to unite in order to ensure respect for human rights.
The European Parliament subsequently adopted this position in its annual reports on basic human rights in the European Union. In 1996, in the same spirit, the United Nations launched its first Decade for the Elimination of World Poverty. Through the Lisbon Agenda the European Union also became active in this area. Allow me to mention two important points that relate to this problem.
The first is the adoption of a position on participation. It is important for the poorest members of society to participate directly in the planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes and strategies. The World Bank, for example, has adopted precisely this type of participatory approach in the fight against poverty.
As far as the European institutions are concerned, there should be much more determination and conviction, as well as the appropriate instruments, if they are to be able to act effectively. In spite of the finest resolutions, European Community policy has not been sufficiently successful in dealing with the feminisation of poverty. Programmes to counter social exclusion often lack specific measures aimed at women. I am thinking, above all, of single mothers, widows, handicapped women and pensioners, women who have become dependent on others, and also of women who suffer sexual discrimination within their ethnic group or other minority.
In short the European project has failed to create equal opportunities. I am, however, filled with pride when I see women taking on important responsibilities with respect to inter-generational solidarity within the framework of the family. I am convinced that each and every woman can have a positive influence on the ways in which society is organised and its structure is shaped.
Since all women support basic human values like truth and justice, love and freedom, they should be supported in the fostering and propagation of these values in their family and professional lives. I would like to pay special homage to those who live far from their homes or in difficult conditions, but who manage to overcome their suffering and exhaustion in order to help their nearest and dearest. In this respect I utterly condemn those people traffickers who exploit vulnerable women and children like these.
The second important aspect is the Internal Stability Pact. It is generally recognised that poverty is a real test for democratic systems. In spite of this, the European Union heads of state and their governments have refused to recognise the elimination of poverty as one of the aims of the European Union in the draft Constitutional Agreement."@en1
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