1 Kirsti Kolthoff President FEMANET SEMINAR

2 NO DEMOCRACY without PARITY DEMOCRACY

3 European Women’s Lobby Established in 1990 Membership based women’s organisation from 28 countries - 25 in the EU and 18 European Wide International organisations 4000 members - largest umbrella organisations of women’s associations in the European Union (EU)

4 Europe Ewl EU25 Member States: Austria Belgium Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta The Netherlands Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden United Kingdom Candidate Countries: Bulgaria Croatia Romania Turkey Application Pending: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Population third largest population bloc in the world after China and India, with more than 450 million inhabitants. 20 official languages All member states are governed by parliamentary democracy. Seven constitutional monarchies which nevertheless rely on parliamentary government: 1957 six sign the Treaty of Rome establishing the European Economic community May 1, 2004 biggest enlargement of the EU since the dawn of European construction

5 Areas of work of EWL Women in decision-making Women’s diversity Women’s rights at international level European gender equality policies Violence against women Women’s human rights Economic and social justice for women

6 EWL Structure EWL Member organisations in Europe National Co-ordinations of women’s NGOs European Member organisations EWL General Assembly ( ≃ 100 delegates) EWL Board of Administration (34 elected members) EWL Executive Committee 1 President, 2 Vice Pres, 1 Treasurer, 3 members EWL Secretariat (Brussels) EWL Secretary General EWL staff

7 European Women‘s Lobby (EWL) EWL Member organisations EWL Board members EWL Executive Committee EWL Secretariat (Brussels) Influence EU Policy State governments and parliaments EU parliamentarians European Parliament (Women‘s Rights‘ Committee) EU Commission (DG: Employment and Social Affairs) The Council = the ministers from the member states

8 WOMEN IN DECISION-MAKING: WHAT IS AT STAKE IS THE EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY Women are mostly under represented in decision-making in all European countries. A few examples from politics: Women in the European Parliament: 31% Women in national Parliaments in EU and accession countries : 23% Women in national governments in the EU MS and accession countries: 22%

9 Reasons that are commonly given for women’s under-representation in decision-making : 1.Women’s economic subordination: economic, social and cultural resources are necessary to attain decision-making positions 1.Symbolic factors - traditional gender roles: decision-making seen as a male domain 2.Deficit in political representation: electoral institutions, laws and functioning: list system or majority systems, holding of several mandates, political parties as gate keepers, status of elected persons etc

10 5 areas of concern for women’s rights and economic independence 1.Enhancing reconciliation of work and family life 2.Care - care service - and who cares? 3.Eradicating gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings 4.Eliminating gender stereotypes in society 5.Promoting gender equality outside the EU - human rights/external policy/co-operation development

11 Commitments made towards equality between women and men in decision- making Articles 7 and 8 of CEDAW No binding provision on women in political decision-making or other in European institutions Positive actions on the labour market allowed by article 141§4 of the EU Treaty but not mandatory Different parity/quota systems or positive measures in some European countries Norwegian legislation on equality between women and men in boards of administration of big enterprises

12 Some conditions for success of measures for the promotion of women in political decision-making Political parties are necessary vehicles for equality Voluntary quotas by political parties can work (Sweden), but if not obligatory in the law, always risk that they are removed Rules –in the context of proportional voting- must insist on strict alternation of women and men on candidate lists Parity or quota rules must lay down minimum percentages associated with penalties

13 EWL WORK IN RELATION TO WOMEN IN DECISION MAKING A significant democratic and political challenge at all levels The image of the “people’s representative” is essentially male, while European societies are equally composed of women and men European democracy cannot be complete without the equal participation of women in the decision- making process at all levels Some groups of women in Europe, such as for example black, migrant and ethnic minority women, disabled or young women are quasi absent from political decision-making

14 EWL and Parity Democracy in Europe At the 2002 EWL General Assembly, EWL members adopted motions stressing the need to lobby for parity democracy to be introduced at European level = the equal representation of women and men in decision-making positions. The ideas that we are promoting by working towards parity democracy: Women are represented in all social groups; they are neither a minority nor a category Women represent more than half of humanity: a quantitative dimension Women represent one of the two components of humanity: a qualitative dimension

15 EWL campaign “Have we got the balance right?”

16 KEY LESSONS AND CONCLUSIONS to put women’s issues on the political agenda to implement truly the gender mainstreaming strategy, a better representation of women in decision-making is crucial - parity binding legislation to promote gender equality in decision-making at European level

17 From issue group at EWL GA 07 to be discussed at board m Jan 08 To use experience in EWL from “new” MS and how? EWL should give an initiative to make a formal big coalition for parity in the law all over Europe with all women party groups in the European parliament, with women network in the TU at EU level, with experts, media women and women dealing with gender equality in EC This coalition should prepare a focused proposal and budget of the Europe wide campaign for parity in the law. This coalition should lobby EU parliament and EC in order to get a sort of “Daphne project” for political representation of women This coalition should stat its first parallel electoral campaign all over Europe (and adjust it also for the future EU states and neighbors) before next elections for the European parliament.

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