Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-08-Speech-1-027"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20100308.13.1-027"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"International Women’s Day, 8 March. I have celebrated this day for as long as I can remember, like my mother and grandmother before me. On 8 March, I sometimes become disheartened thinking of everything that must still be done for men and women to enjoy genuine equality of opportunity. There are so many women for whom violence is a day-to-day reality, so many women living in poverty, so many women having to single-handedly care for their children and parents; and so few women making it to the top in business, academia and politics.
Yet then, I think of the generation of my grandmother, who had to stop work when she got married and had absolutely no educational opportunities, and that of my mother, who fought very hard to have a say in what happened to her own body, and I see how far we have come in the space of one century; I see that change really is possible. We need to do our best now, however, if we are to make the world a better place in the near future.
The European Union can make an important contribution, but only if it moves beyond fine words. The fight for equal rights has already been burdened by far too many fine words for far too long, and these have been joined by several more. On Friday, the Commission presented a Charter of Women’s Rights containing very many fine words. I harbour a very healthy scepticism about its implementation. This scepticism is reinforced by the fact that the European Parliament and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were not consulted, as Mr Schulz has already said. Since this is Commissioner Reding’s first act as the Commissioner responsible for equal opportunities, however, I am more than willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
The kind of initiatives with which she accompanies her fine words are what counts. If, in this period, she presents us with a directive to combat violence against women, a directive on paternity leave, strong measures to combat discrimination against women, strong measures to increase the female employment rate – for example, by improving the mutual compatibility of working hours and school hours – and quotas for women in top jobs, at least in her own ranks of the Commission, if the Commission translates its fine words into genuine action, my colleagues in the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance and I will be the first to stand up and show our appreciation.
If we want to see change, we need to work together: the Commission, the Council and the left and right in this House. Today, 8 March, is not only International Women’s Day but also my son’s birthday; he is two years old today. I hope with all my heart that, in 30 years’ time, he will live in a Europe where he and his wife – or husband – share child care responsibilities equally, and where women have just as much chance of becoming a professor, CEO or European Commissioner. In the coming years, his mum will be doing her very best to achieve this, and fortunately I am not the only one."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata | |
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples