Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-02-Speech-2-485"
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"en.20080902.35.2-485"2
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"−
Mr President, I would like to thank my colleagues in the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and especially the shadow rapporteur for excellent and constructive contributions to the report.
The Presidency of the Council has highlighted the importance of combating gender stereotypes. This is one of the six priority areas of the Presidency. Therefore I consider that it is important for us here in the Parliament too to give our views on the problem of gender stereotypes and how they affect equality between women and men.
In order to avoid any misunderstandings, I would particularly like to state and be very clear that in the report I am definitely not recommending any new legislation in this area, neither at EU nor at national level. The measures I propose refer to national, self-regulating bodies which already exist and which represent producers, advertisers and consumers. These bodies should work to increase awareness of the importance of gender-stereotyped advertising. The Member States should also ensure that there are bodies to which the general public can turn with complaints. I also think that the European Institute for Gender Equality which is being set up should carry out research into how equality is affected by this type of advertising. We need to know more.
So why is this important? It is important because advertising is everywhere, in our homes, in public spaces, in newspapers, in the media, etc. Of course we are affected, whether we are aware of it or not. Companies would not invest billions in advertising if it did not have any effect.
Advertising and marketing today are not just about trying to sell goods or products, but about selling a whole lifestyle, a form of culture. We have to behave in a certain way and act in a certain way to live up to expectations of different norms. It is particularly important to combat this phenomenon where it affects young people who are seeking an adult identity, future education paths, etc. I want all people to be able to choose without consciously or unconsciously being influenced by various gender-stereotyped norms.
Today it is impossible for an advertiser to make an advert for a product which increases environmental problems or hastens climate change. I have a vision that in the future it will be just as impossible to sell products which have a gender-discriminatory or gender-stereotyped message.
I am also convinced that with increased awareness of the importance of advertising, consumers, both men and women, will start to refuse to buy products which use this kind of advertising. I am also just as convinced that consumers will favour companies, producers, which have a conscious advertising policy and which do not permit gender-stereotyped advertising. This will be an important success factor for companies and advertisers who demonstrate their responsibility by influencing and contributing towards greater equality. After all, this is the goal we all say that we share. This is one factor among very many, but it is an important one."@en1
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