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Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner to
attend first Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference
on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society 14-15
November
For the first time, the 35 members of the
Euro-Mediterranean partnership are meeting at
ministerial level to discuss how to strengthen the role
of women in society on both sides of the Mediterranean
sea. The European Commissioner for External Relations
and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita
Ferrero-Waldner will represent the Commission at the
conference which is being held on 14-15 November in
Istanbul. The conference is being held in line with the
Five Year Work Programme agreed on during the 10th
Anniversary Barcelona Summit in 2005. The Istanbul
conference will approve ministerial conclusions that
include a short political declaration and a work plan to
boost women’s role in the political, social, economic,
educational and cultural spheres, and will guide the
mobilisation of funds for gender equality from all
Euromed partners
On the eve of the meeting, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner
said: “We have certainly seen improvements in the last
few years: Mediterranean countries are on track for
achieving the millennium goals target for girls’
enrolment in primary schools. But there are some
striking gaps, such as the ratio of women to men in paid
employment, and women’s participation in national
parliaments. We must never forget that there are also
flaws in Europe’s own equality record.”
She added “I am proud to be attending the first
ministerial meeting on the role of women in the Euro-med
region. I hope this conference will prove to be a
significant milestone on the road to women’s equality
throughout the region. We need to speak out strongly
about remaining problems, and regularly monitor
progress. This is not a women’s campaign: gender
equality is one of the main drivers of development for
everyone”.
Although the Barcelona process has
supported in particular Mediterranean women’s access to
economic life, a great deal more can be achieved by
introducing a more systematic approach. The Euromed
Conference on Strengthening the role of Women in Society
seeks to lay the groundwork for a more coherent effort.
Ministers will agree that equal participation of women
and men in all spheres of life is a crucial element of
democracy, and will undertake commitments to achieve
this. Conclusions from the meeting will focus in
particular on implementation of political and civil
rights; social and economic rights; and women’s rights
in the cultural sphere, including in the media.
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will seek to draw attention
in particular to the need to give equal access to
education to women and girls, combat violence against
women, and boost the representation of women in
political life.
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/euromed/news_interviews.htm
Emma Udwin +32 2 295 95 77
Concha Fernández de la Puente: +32 2 295 29 77
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