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Rome Hosts European Uleek on • >< Editorial u llfiOmen, Politics and Society" Ill .! ••••••••••••••••••• • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• a; >< he Charter of Rome, signed on 18 May at the qual opportunities in EU and national policy and decision-making were =.. closing session of the Conference "Women the focus of a week of meetings and debates hosted in May by the Italian ~ Tfor the Renewal of Politics and Society" by I 5 EPresidency of the Council of Ministers in Rome. Over 300 women from the • world of politics and from national and EU public administrations attended. The N European Union women ministers, brings back to U) mind the Athens Declaration, signed in 1992 by week, which was the high point of the Presidency's activities on gender issues, c women celebraties, ministers, prime ministers and • ended with a European Women's Summit. There, women Ministers from 13 heads of state, some of whom are still in power to­ • Member States signed the "Charter of Rome," a declaration of political will to • • promote the presence of women in decision-making. The other events organised day. • by the Presidency during the week were a meeting of the European The Athens Declaration already highlighted the • Commission's Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities, a meeting of the democratic deficit in European Union countries be­ • Management Committee for the 4th equal opportunities action programme and cause of women's under-representation in decision­ : a European Conference entitled JiVc>men for the Renewal of Politics and Society. making. It also drew attention to the fact that the equal rights in law has not brought about de facto • The European Women's Sununit was the a balanced participation of women and men equality. It called on the Commission, Member • culmination of a six months effort by the in decision-making. States, elected representatives, decision-makers, • Italian Presidency to promote equal oppor- those working in the social field and the press to • tunities. During this period, it secured the Action plan for equal participation recognise the need for a balance between women • adoption of the parental leave directive and in decision-making and men, a so-called "parity", and to use the means • finalised the Council Recommendation on available to them to promote its achievement. • the balanced participation of women and Women's full and equal participation in Today parity is falling victim to "semantic • men in decision-making. In January, it or- decision-making is a question of social jus­ reticence" by certain Member States which, using • ganised a conference on the reconciliation tice, a requirement of democracy and essen­ subsidiarity as an excuse or the fear of creating a • of family and professional life in Calabria, in tial to achieve a full use of human resources, more favourable situation than other Member • February, it held a convention on women said participants at the Rome conference States, are attempting to keep equality between : and entrepreneurship in Rome and, in which preceded the Summit on "Women women and men under their thumb or at least un­ • April, a "Forum on women and employ­ for the renewal of politics and society". This der tight control. • ment" in Pisa. is "the only way to ensure decision-makers Figures given in the Charter of Rome are useful • understand and take account of the needs of reminders: on average, only I 5% of members of na­ • Ministers sign the Charter of Rome the whole population, women and men." tional parliaments and 16% of government • Women's presence in decision-making in members in European Union countries are women. : Romano Prodi, Italy's new Prime Minis- • ter, addressed the European Women's Sum- public administrations, public health,justice, Surprising disparities also exist. The number of • mit as his first official public engagement. the financial sector, education, social partner women in national and Community political bodies • Three Italian women ministers Livia Turco, organisations and in politics was explored in is over 40% in Sweden, 33% in Finland and • Rosy Bindi and Anna Finocchiaro, sworn parallel workshops at this conference which Denmark but only 6% in France just "beating" • into office that day, also attended the Sum­ was jointly organised by the Italian Nation­ Greece which has 5.7%. • mit and signed the Charter. al Commission for Equal Opportunities Be­ Some people would consider these figures as • tween Women and Men, the European representing a progress for democracy, others as a • The 15 women Commission's Equal set-back. Whatever the view, there is an urgent • Ministers who signed Opportunities Unit need to reaffirm the importance of parity as an ab­ • the Charter repre- (DG V) and the Net­ solute condition of democracy at a time when, in • sented all the EU work on Women in the framework of the Intergovernmental • Member States apart Decision-making. The Conference, changes to the Treaty are being negoti­ • from the UK which outcome of these dis­ ated. Currently the treaty only mentions equal pay. • refused to sign it for cussions was present­ We must rejoice that women politicians are not • political reasons and ed in the form of a only reiterating their will to demand parity, • Spain which was in four-year European highlighting the role that women can play and their • the process of form- Action Plan (1996- rejuvenating approach to politics but also that it is • ing its new govern­ 2000) for an equal not enough to express pious hopes, hand on heart, • ment. participation of we must also act. • women and men m This media event should not hide but reinforce • The women Minis- Signatories of the Charter of Rome decision-making. e c carlettl Photo center, Roma the perseverance of those women who, at ters deplored the low grassroots level and within associations, are • number of women in decision-making Information campaigns, the provision of • posts. They said that only with a joint con- gender specific data, the setting of targets, working daily to promote such parity. • • tribution and balanced participation of positive action and training are just some of : women and men at all decision-making lev- the proposed measures under the Action • els can there be a guarantee that the needs Plan which also recommends the introduc- e of women as well as those of men are met. tion of proper monitoring procedures. • This, they argued, will bring benefits to the • quality of life of the whole population and Equality Advisory Committee urges IGC action • reinforce the den10cratic process. Veronique Houdart-Biazy • With their signature, the Ministers com- The European Commission's Advisory Head of Section • Information for Women • mitted themselves to develop within their Committee on Equal Opportunities fo­ • countries incentives, laws and regulatory cussed on the 1996 Intergovernmental • measures (see full text on page 4) to achieve Conference (IGC). Four Italian ministers • • • • • • • • Women o/ f urry:;e newsletter • ••• • were present at the Advisory Committee (education, the civil service, employment End to Traffic in JIUJmen High and social affairs, respectively) which was in­ vited to meet in Rome by Livia Turco, Pres­ on EU Agenda ident of the Italian National Committee for Equal Opportunities. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• he trafficking of women to EU Mem­ Participants said trafficking in women was Concerned that equal opportumt1es ber States for sexual purposes is con­ a serious form of organised crime and a risked being ignored during the IGC talks, Ttinuing to increase. It is supported by fundamental attack on the dignity of the Committee set up in February a work­ organised crime which finds the smuggling women and human rights. They also urged ing group to look in detail at the proposed of human beings less risky than drugs. "This greater international cooperation. They reforms. At its Rome meeting, the Com­ trade has to be stopped," said Anita Gradin, called for a strengthening of Member States' mittee decided to send to the Commission the European Commissioner in charge of legislation in this field and EU measures to a short opinion recommending that refer­ Justice and Home Affairs. Since she took up disc;ourage trafficking. Improving the eco­ ences in the Treaty concerning equality her post in January 1995, she has regularly nomic and social conditions in source should be strengthened. The Treaty should put the fight against trafficking in women countries was one of the long term strate­ clearly incorporate the right to equal treat­ on the EU agenda. It was once again tack­ gies suggested to deter trafficking. Other ment. Positive action should follow from led at a major conference in Vienna on 10 recommendations made included informa­ this right, the Committee said. T he promo­ and 11 June which was hosted by the Aus­ tion campaigns targeted at potential victims, tion of equality between women and men trian government and organised jointly by the general public and officials, including should include the concept of mainstream­ the European Commission and the Interna­ embassy staff. Victims should be granted ing with Article 119 of the Rome Treaty tional Organization of Migration (IOM). temporary residence and police offtcers and extended to cover all areas of working life counsellors trained to deal with such cases, and not just remuneration as is the case now. Opening the Conference, Commissioner they said. The proceeds from trafficking in Gradin urged more international coopera­ women should be confiscated. • A progress report on the implementation tion to identify and punish the traffickers of the 4th equal opportunities action pro­ and give support to the victims. Judicial co­ For furth er information : gramme was given by a representative of the operation including tougher penalties, and Mara Goldstein European Commission. Ireland, which took improved law enforcement and police co­ Secretariat General TF 2 , European Commission, over the Council of Ministers Presidency operation, were insufficient to develop an avenue des Nervlens 9 , 6/ 21A, B-1049 Brussels. from 1 July, said it plans to officially launch effective strategy against trafficking in Fax: (32.2)295 01 74. the programme in Dublin in October. The women, she said. Migration policy because The International Organisation for Migration, Irish Presidency promised to try and secure trafficking is a form of illegal migration and rue Belllard 65, B-1040 Brussels. agreement on a number of legislative pro­ social policy to provide victim support and Tel. (32.2)230 60 55 - Fax: (32.2)230 07 63. posals concerning equality and to introduce witness protection were also essential ele­ changes, following the Kalanke ruling, to ments. All these aspects were tackled at the the EU's equal treatment directive so as to Conference. clarify the law on positive action. • • • For furth er information on the Conference Jiti(J men • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••••••••••••••••• • for the R enewal of Politics and Society: Maria Grazia Ruggerini Segretarla della conferenza presso Ia Presldenzla del Consiglio, VIa del Trinone 142, 1-00187 Rome. ·Committee on JIUJmen ~ Rights Tel. (39.6)677 96 309 - Fax (39.6)677 96 308. • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• For furth er information on the Advisory Committee: he Commission's Communication to tion of women in small companies (less than Els Van Winkel the Council of the European Union 50 employees). She recommends including European Commission, DG V/D/5, Ton mainstreaming topped the agenda an anti-discrimination clause in the new di­ rue Joseph II 27, 06/41, B-1049 Brussels. at the May Women's Rights Committee rective. Tel. (32.2)296 14 28 - Fax (32.2)296 35 62. meeting. Rapporteur for the Committee Angela Kokkola said the Communication Reporting on the 1997 budget, Lissy had insufficiently addressed how main­ Groner said the Committee's four priorities streaming will be achieved in a practical (4th action programme, the follow-up to way. It left too much up to the political will Beijing, information and mainstreaming) of the Member States and the Commission, had been included in the preliminary list by she said. Lissy Groner welcomed the initia­ the Budgets Committee. She warned, how­ tive of Franz Fischler, the European Com­ ever, that Committee members would have missioner in charge of agricultural policy, to to continue the fight to ensure the 4th ac­ include mainstreaming in all areas of agri­ tion programme received its 11 million cultural policy. She called for a coordinating ECU budget for its first year of operation as committee to be set up to oversee the im­ 'Yas originally proposed by the Commis­ plementation of this principle in all policy swn. areas. The role women play in rural areas Examining the Commission's proposal to should be covered in the proposal to create amend the 1986 directive on equal treat­ a European Rural Charter, according to ment for men and women in occupational Birgitta Ahlqvist, who also urged specific social security schemes, rapporteur Helena measures to encourage women to remain in Torres Marques said its scope should be ex­ these areas. • tended to cover part-time workers. She also urged greater flexibility in the retirement For further information : age for both women and men. Mary Brennan Sue Waddington was critical of the Com­ European Commission, General Secret ariat , mission's proposal to update the directive on avenue des Nervlens 9, B-1049 Brussels. safeguarding employees' rights in the event Te l. (32.2)295 96 36 - Fax (32.2)296 59 57 of transfers of undertakings. She wants the directive to cover pension rights, which are currently excluded, and to tackle the situa- 2············································ July, Augrst 1996 . n" 62

ism, violence and all other acts endangering ager, only 10% were women.The results in- women and children. r dicate that the larger the management team, the more likely it is that there will be female F or furthe r informatio n : managers. European Commissioner Chris- "Give Peace a Chance" tos Papoutsis, responsible for SMEs, wrote c,/o Sonatol Annltarlo Llzln and Slmone Susrklnd, the foreward to the report. a llalson des Parlementalrea, rue do Louyaln 21, B-lOOg Brustels. For information contact : Tel. (32.2)515 A7 21. Fax (32.2)515 85 34. Sue Palmer Dlrector of malkotln!|, Grant lhornton House, Melton Street, Eurton Squaro, GB.London l{Wl 2EP. 1.,. l44.l7l)728 27 39. Fax (44.171)383 47 15. Women, laq politics and culture in the EU

Integrating Cender: women,law and politics in Sources of financing for women the European Union is the title of an exten- entrepreneurs sive study tracking the development of equal opportunities policies and laws with- Recherche exploratoire pour la criation d'outils in the European (Jnion from the signing of flnanciers en direction de I'entrepreneuriat Parental leave becomes law the Rome Treaty to the present day. Author fdminin en Europe Catherine Hoskins, who teaches European An investigative report which identifies EU Social Affairs ministers adopted the Studies at Coventry universiw in the UK. sources of funding for women creating very parental leave directive based on the recent took ten years to complete the original re- small enterprises in 10 EU Member States framework agreement between European search which shows for the first time the was carried out by the Paris-based office employer and trade union bodies (see role played by women's organisations in the Studio Entreprendre for the European Women of Europe Newsletter No 58) at their shaping of EU equaliry policy. r Commission's DG V The report identifies June meeting. The agreement will be an- new ways of funding such enterprises which nexed to the directive and will entitle Available in Englishfrom the publishers: could be provided by banks and financial women and men employees to a minimum Verso institutions EU-wide. o of three months' unpaid leave until their I iloard Street, GB-London WlY 3HR. child's eighth birthday, and to time offfrom Iol. (44.1?1)437 35 48. Auailable in French from : work for urgent family reasons. Fax: (44.171)734 OO 59. Fernando Frechauth European Gomnrlrclon, DC V / A,/5, Ministers also reviewed the implementa- Pari opportunita: Il diretto e la cuhura (Men rue foceph ll 27, B.lOtlg Bructels. tion, both at national and EU level, of the and Women Equal Opportunities: A Goal tel. (32.2)296 92 14 - Fax (32.2)298 35 62. Platform for Action adopted ar the World Achieued). Written by Italian lawyer Ada Conference in Beijing. The adoption of the Grecchi, this book looks at the development recommendation promoting a balanced par- of equal opportunities in Italy and its close ticipation of women and men in decision- links with EU developments in the field. making, an essential part of the EU's follow- Speaking at the book's launch at the Euro- up to Beijing, and the proposal to nominare pean Parliament in Brussels, V6ronique 1997 as EuropeanYearAgainst Racism were Houdart-Blazy praised the author for clear- blocked by the UK. r ly showing that equal opportunities is not a narrow and limited concept promoted by one part of sociery but a concept which has Women, Peace and the Balkans wider cultural significance based on valuing difference and diversiry. I Cive Peace a Chance - Women Speak Out in the Balkans, was the focus of a rwo-day con- Auailable in English or ltalianfrom publishers: ference held in Brussels under the auspices FrancoAngeli of the European Commission and the Bel- Ylale Monza 106, 1.20127 tllano. gian Foreign Ministry. Organised by Belgian rel. (39.2)282 76 51 - Fax (39.2)289 15 15. senator Anne-Marie Lizin, and Simone ,bri:; ,f Susskind who initiated the project "Give Peace a Chance," the meeting attracted par- $ ticipants from all the Balkan states.They told Women in management .lt i: t: their story and shared their vision. They tr heard from European Commissioner Emma A recent Europe-wide survey carried out Bonino, Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister by Grant Thornton, a British firm of Char-

Erik Derycke and Suha Arafat, wife of the tered Accounts, among small businesses in i:i Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Durins the all EU Member States and in Switzerland tg {3l first day the Conference was chaired a by"Bel- and Malta, showed that the number of t: gium's Queen Fabiola. Participants agreed women working at management level were to work towards a "'Women's Link for few and that half of the companies surveyed Peace" in the Balkans and in other Euro- had no women at all in their management pean countries.They reaffirmed the role and teams. Differences berween countries were contribution of women in the current peace considerable. On one end of the scale was process in ex-Yugoslavia. In the final Con- the UK with 37 percent of companies re- ference declaration, they committed them- porting that they had no women in man- selves to promoting peace, securiry, toler- agement. On the other end, was the V5ronlque Houdart Blazy ance, solidariry and justice. They pledged to Netherlands showed Head Women's which that 70 percent l.j of lnformatlon Soctlon, DG X, combat discrimination. intolerance. extrem- had no women in management and Sweden Rue de lrives l2O, 4/9Ot B.1O4O Brusrelr. with 64 percent.In firms with a single man-

t * l af a a tf *i f, i I I * * a 3 0 f a a I l a I r a t a l tr I I f a I r a I r r !U{t aa fftaarataattaaarfta Women for the Renewal of Politics and Society ~------·-·•- ~·------~r------~~~~--~------~ e, the undersigned, women of power and responsibilities between the area of public life (in elected assemblies, ministers of different member women and men will improve the quality of in councils and consultative committees, states of the European Union, life of the whole population; the representa­ etc.), this has been the result of putting into gathered in Rome on 18 May 1996 at tion of all parts of society is indispensable if force incentives and/ or legislatory or regu­ the invitation of the President of the the problems of European society are to be latory measures on the part of governments European Community Council and addressed. The effective implementation of and political parties. on the occasion of the European policies to achieve equal participation and Summit "Women for the Renewal of partnership between women and men is a An integrated and specific strategy is nec­ Politics and Society" have together priority. essary if equal participation is to be achieved adopted the following Charter: in all spheres of society. In this light we wel­ Women, if present in sufficient numbers, come the Rome Conference "Women for 1. We note a dem era c d ficit. contribute to changing politics and deci­ the Renewal of Politics and Society". sion-making, in terms of the priorities and Notwithstanding the evolution of the re­ content, as well as the practices of decision­ We commit ourselves to take action for spective roles of women and men in Euro­ making. the urgent empowerment of women and to pean society, the general statutory recogni­ develop the necessary incentives and/ or leg­ tion of the equality of rights for women and A renewal of politics and society will be islative or regulatory measures. men, and the equal opportunities policies realized with the joint contribution and bal­ pursued in the Member States of the Euro­ anced participation of women and men. We call upon all actors concerned, male pean Union, we note that the situation of This contribution and participation bridge and female, to support this commitment by women is still characterized by inequality in the gap between citizens and politicians, re­ translating it into concrete actions to em­ most sectors of society. This inequality can vitalize democracy, and increase citizen con­ power women and to achieve an equal par­ be seen in decision-making bodies and au­ fidence in the institutions of democracy. ticipation of women and men in the posi­ thorities, in politics, economics, social and tions of power, influence and decision in all cultural life, and at the local, regional, na­ The equal participation of women at all spheres of society. tional and European level, where women decision-making levels in economic, social are usually in a minority position. and cultural structures is likewise necessary to guarantee that the needs of women and We welcome the research done by the men are taken into account in all policies, European Expert Network on Women in programmes and actions. Decision-Making and acknowledge that it greatly contributes to increased visibility in . We declare our commitment to th this field and that it thereby constitutes a ba­ need to recognize equality of sis for action. women and men as a priority of the European Union. Substantial progress has been made since the Declaration of Athens, adopted in 1992 The principal responsibility of the Inter­ on the occasion of the first European sum­ governmental Conference (IGC), which mit of women in power. This progress, will revise the European treaties, as laid however, is not yet sufficient. In the field of down in the Maastricht Treaty, is to rein­ politics, the average female participation in force European democracy by bringing the the Member States amounts to 15% for the concepts and structures of Europe closer to national parliaments and 16% for the gov­ its citizens. Representatives of national gov­ ernments; 28% of the present Members of ernments, the European Parliament and the the European Parliament and 25% of the European Commission have declared this to European Commissioners are women. be a priority. The initial sig11atories of the Charter of Rome ot1 18 In other spheres of civil society where de­ More than half of European citizens are May 1996 were: cisions are taken that have an indisputable female.A democratic European society must impact on the lives of citizens, both male therefore be built on the effective and real Helga Konrad, Minister ofWomen's and female, female representation at deci­ equality of its citizens of both sexes. Affairs (A) sion-making level can be even lower. Miet Smet, Labour and Employment and We affirm our commitment to the need Equal Opportunities Policy (B) We therefore cannot but face the fact that of enshrining equality between women and Jytte Andersen, Labour (DK) political life and decision-making in gener­ men in the new European Union Treaty. We Claudia Nolte, Family Affairs, Senior al are still dominated by men. This impairs consider it indispensable to integrate a gen­ Citizens, Women and Youth (D) the quality of decision-making and of der perspective into all policies of the Euro­ Vasso Papandreou, Development (GR) democracy. pean Union (mainstreaming).This lies at the Corinne Lepage, Environment (F) heart of European citizenship and its condi­ Nora Owen,Justice (IRL) Democracy will acquire a true and dy­ tions of practice. Rosy Bindi, Health (I) namic sense when women and men togeth­ Anna Finocchiaro, Equal Opportunities (I) er define the values they wish to uphold in We call on the institutions and organs of Livia Turco, Welfare and Family (I) their political, economic, social and cultural the European Union to adopt, urgently, a Marie J. Jacobs, Promotion ofWomen, life, and together take the relevant decisions. strategy for achieving an equal participation Family Affairs, of Disabled and Injured of women and men and to set concrete tar­ People (LUX) 2. We ca I or a renewal of politics gets to that end. E. Borst-Ellers, Health (NL) and soc· ety. Elisa da Costa Guimares Ferreira, 4. We reco ze the necessity of Environment (P) The equal participation of women and concret action at all levels to Terttu Huttu-Juntunen, Equality, Social men in decision-making is an objective that promote the equal participation of Affairs and Health (SF) has priority at European level. wom n and men in decision-making Margareta Winberg, Labour Market (S) in all spheres of society. This is necessary to reinvigorate democ­ racy and its mechanisms; a balanced sharing Where progress has been made, notably in