National strategies propose ways to advance women’s participation and leadership through, inter alia, capacity-building, coalition-building and gender sensitive institutional policies, programmes and mechanisms.

Download all national strategies and EWL manifesto here:

The conference was organised within the framework of the Project “European Campaign for Parity Democracy and Active European Citizenship: No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality”, funded by the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme of the European Union. The event was also supported by a Campaign Core Group of MEP’s from different EU political groups (ALDE, Greens/EFA, GUE-NGL, EPP, S&D).

Objectives:

• To analyze the European elections results from a gender equality perspective;

• To reflect on the achievements of the Parity Democracy and EWL 50/50 campaign and its tools,and begin the campaign’s evaluation process;

• To generate commitment to a series of principles for the achievement of parity and diversity in Europe.

Expected Outcomes:

• Analysis of the Parity Democracy and EWL 50/50 campaign and their impact – learning for the future;

• Gaining visibility for the work done within the Parity Democracy and EWL 50/50 campaign and maintain relations with relevant actors;

• Vote on commitment of principles for the achievement of parity and diversity in Europe.

After a networking lunch and an introductory speech by Susana Elisa Pavlou (Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies) four different panels addressed the outcomes of the 2014 European Parliament elections from a gender perspective. The panels were moderated by journalists Laura Shields (The Media Coach), TanjaMileska (Euractiv), Sybille Bassler (ZDF) and Gabriele Steinhauser (The Wall Street Journal) and coordinated by Serap Altinisik, from the European Women’s Lobby.

Jessica N. Grounds, Co-founder of Running Start and Director of Women Ready for Hillary was the keynote speaker of the conference who gave an inspiring speech on how to increase the participation of women in politics, by giving young women and girls the encouragement and the skills to pursue a career in political leadership.

The first panel was moderated by Laura Shields and focused on the impact of the Parity Democracy and EWL 50/50 Campaign both quantitatively and qualitatively. Maria Angeli, Project Coordinator at MIGS gave a general overview of the main elements of the Parity Democracy Campaign, highlighting its media campaign tools as well as the lobbying and advocacy work done in the partner countries with relevant stakeholders to promote the equal representation of women and men on party candidate lists. The presentation was followed by a lively question and answer session where the project partners shared their experiences and their own evaluation of the impact of the campaign in their particular country contexts.

A cross party group of MEPs also participated in the various panels: Ulrike Lunacek (Greens) MEP kindly hosted the conference, while MalinBjörk (GUE/NGL), Terry Reintke (Greens) and Sirpa Pietikainen (EPP) spoke about their experience and the challenges they faced in political life but also of their commitment to gender equality and women’s rights over the next five years.

Other panelists coming from diverse civil society organizations and institutions, including EWL Members, shared their concerns about equal representation in politics and their strategies to overcome the many remaining barriers to women’s equal participation.  JuditTancoz (FEPS) gave an overview of the results of the EP Elections from a gender perspective, while Natalie Labourdette (Eurovision Academy) discussed the role of the media in promoting gender equality and women’s rights, citing good practice examples and tools to promote gender sensitive reporting.

GermanaVigliettaform the Italian Permanent Representation to the EU presented the priorities of the Italian Presidency, very much focused on employment and growth, and said that there is a gender pillar in the overall strategy. Serap Altinisik then handed over to her the Joint declaration of the 50/50 Campaign, highlighting that EWL hopes that the Italian Presidency will take concrete action to achieve parity and strengthen women’s right across Europe.

After a final speech by EWL President Viviane Teitelbaum, EWL Secretary General Joanna Maycock wrapped up the results of the conference, answering the question: “What can we do to boost equal representation?”

She pointed out SEVEN KEY POINTS emerging from the Parity Democracy and 50/50 Campaign and the discussions among the conference participants that feminist activists need to address:

- The need to introduce legislative quotas to achieve the equal representation of men and women. To achieve that, feminists need both to work inside political parties as well as raise awareness within civil society and the general public.

- Action needs to begin NOW on the local, national and European level in order to see results in the next EP Elections.

- Emphasis on improving women’s leadership skills, especially among young women, and motivating them to become more involved in politics.

- Promoting solidarity and collaboration among women politicians through the development of support networks.

- The need to campaign on zero tolerance toward everyday sexism.

- Strengthening the women’s movement in support of these goals.

- Working in close partnership with the media to promote gender sensitive reporting and to increase public dialogue on gender equality and women’s rights.

During the conference EWL also organized an interactive session, chaired by Annette Lawson (NAWO). Lawson asked the audience to vote to commit on several principles to ensure equal representation of women in politics and in civil society:

The principles for the achievement of parity and diversity in Europe:

1. Will you, whenever the possibility arises, ask your government to nominate one female and one male candidate for to the College of Commissioners and for all top jobs in the EU institutions as a principle of democracy and fairness?

2. Will you, whenever the topic of decision-making positions of EU institutions arises, ask your Member State and the Council of the EU to promote and to ensure gender parity in the executive board and top positions of the European Central Bank?

3. Will you ask the political groups in the European Parliament to promote and ensure gender representation in their decision-making bodies and promote women candidates for decision-making positions in the European Parliament as a matter of justice and diversity?

4. Will you speak out loudly within your own network and organization to have an equal representation of women and men in decision-making positions as a matter of inclusion and equality?

5. Will you ensure and raise the importance that specific needs of women of ethnic minorities are mainstreamed in all areas of policy-making?

6. Will you ask the EU to address and tackle the stereotypical representation and treatment of women in the media, including on social media?

7. Will you demand of your national government that they introduce ‘temporary special measures’ (as recommended by the CEDAW Committee to achieve level playing fields), to ensure greater representation of women in decision making?

The conference participants voted unanimously on all seven principles put forward, demonstrating their both their commitment and determination to continue to push for gender parity in political decision-making at all levels.

To view the conference programme click here.

Find a detailed booklet with speakers here

For more information please visit www.paritydemocracy.eu

But having now nominated a man as the President of the Commission one of the most influential positions at the EU institutions, we urge the Member States to use the opportunity to establish an equal representation of women and men in EU institutions by equally appointing women and men to the other 30 top-positions of the Union: 28 Commissioners, President of the Parliament and President of the Council of Ministers as well as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

As Parity is one of European Women’s Lobby (EWL) main demands of the 50/50 campaign, we continue urging national governments to propose one women and one man for each Commissioner position, as well as for the Presidency of the Council, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Presidency of the European Parliament. The political groups inside the Parliament do have the same responsibility: ensuring gender parity in the nomination of chairpersons within Committees, as well as in the composition of the Bureaus.

Especially in times of crisis, where trust and credibility are at stake with regards to the EU and its institutions, we need a European Union that represents its societal diversity, including parity between women and men. Furthermore the EU needs a strong message to back women’s rights and gender equality which are undergoing a backlash in many ways across the European society. The designated Commissioner Juncker sees an urgent need to establish a Commissioner for Internet but oversees the urgent need to include half of the population, namely women in the College of the Commission. The European Women’s Lobby asks for the instauration of a Commissioner position for gender equality and women’s rights which would give a strong signal for gender equality across Europe and beyond.

Let’s make sure that this can happen. Go for 50/50!

EWL 50/50 and Parity Democracy for Europe Campaign: No Modern European Democracy without Gender

The Event will address outcomes of the 2014 European Parliament elections from a gender perspective and aims to evaluate the impact of the Parity Democracy and EWL 50/50 Campaign, which aims at reaching Parity Democracy quantitatively and qualitatively. 

“No More Excuses”:
Gender Equality after the EU Elections – What’s next?

9 July 2014   1 pm to 6 pm    European Parliament, Brussels

Room A1 G-3

Starting with a networking lunch

The European Women’s Lobby and the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies have the pleasure to invite you to attend the final conference of the 50/50 campaign.

Newly elected MEPs, governmental bodies, academics, NGOs and journalists will find answers to questions like: How to ensure elected women are in top positions within the European Parliament? How to mainstream gender equality within the Media? And how to ensure the diversity of women within politics?

We are delighted to announce that the keynote speech will be held by the US speaker Jessica N. Grounds, former Executive Director and Co-Founder of Running Start. She is also the founder and principal strategist for Solid Grounds Strategy, a firm she created to consult women candidates who run for office for the first time.

To attend the event, please register here.

Partner organisations:

Please contact Gina Horst at horst@womenlobby.org ; 02/210 04 41 with any questions and requests for further information

[Article by euractiv.com 5 June 2014] “With only a 1.25% increase in the number of women MEPs in the new European Parliament compared to the previous legislature, women’s associations warn that it will take “half a century to reach gender parity at this pace”.” The article highlights the varying representation of women between the different political groups and the role of quotas during these elections.

EWL Policy Officer and Fundraising Coordinator Serap Alitinisk provides her analysis on the outcomes.

All credits to euroactiv.com.

Read the full article here

One week after the European Parliament elections, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) and its members has been analysing the election results with regards to the representation of elected women elected to the European Parliament. The percentage of women in the EP, the only directly elected institution of the European Union (EU), stands at almost 37%, this is an increase of 1,25% in comparison to the European elections in 2009.

EWL Secretary General, Joanna Maycock, states “with this snail’s pace it will be another half a century before the European Parliament would reach gender parity in 52 years, despite the fact that women make up more than half the EU’s population.”

GROUPS ANALYSIS - EPP stays behind.

A two-speed Europe for parity

The election results show a clear picture with regards to political families’ commitments to reach parity. The conservative and far right parties are lagging behind in comparison to center and left parties. During its 5050 campaign “No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality” ahead of the EP election in 2014 the EWL demanded best-fit quota systems according to the national electoral systems. Evidence shows that whether a quota/parity system reaches its objectives depends largely on effective sanctions. A conclusion which has been confirmed through the results of the EU elections 2014. In this sense for example the S&D political family performed notably well with regards to women candidates elected into the EP with a percentage of 45.5%. On the contrary the share of women is only 30.4 % in the political family of EPP.

Voter apathy and the swing to the right jeopardises women’s rights

In large parts of Europe the low voter turnout and success of far right and populist parties represent a risk to the development and implementation of progressive anti-discrimination policies including women’s rights and gender equality.

The backward looking ideology and openly misogynist views of some of the parties and individuals elected represents a challenge to Europe’s relative success in tackling gender inequality.

Joanna Maycock says “we are concerned that support for women’s organisations will also be further under threat as we have already observed in our work on austerity.”

There is still a chance for a real step forward

The political families within the European Parliament have a unique chance to change the image of European Politics out of touch with voters by having a leadership which better reflects the diversity of the electorate. The political groups must give women voters and elected women the same voice and weight, as their male counterparts. Political parties have the opportunity to bring change and parity to the EP by nominating women and man as candidates for the European Parliaments presidential elections.

The EWL demands from all political groups to ensure gender parity and non-gender biased portfolios when nominating and appointing MEPs for decision-making positions in the EP.

Women are not a minority, but represent the majority of the European society. Therefore, women must be represented in all portfolios of the decision-making positions in the European Parliament. EWL Fundraising Coordinator and Policy Officer, Serap Altinisik, remarks “gender can only be mainstreamed when women have a say and are involved at all levels of decision-making by chairing for example committees of the EP.”

For more information or interviews please contact:

✉Elvira Buijink, EWL Media and Communication Officer buijink@womenlobby.org -+32 02/210 04 40

✉Serap Altinisik, EWL Policy Officer and Fundraising Coordinator  altinisik@womenlobby.org -+32 02/210 04 27

European Women’s Lobby Gender Audit of the European Political Parties’ Programmes from a gender perspective – in the framework of the 50/50 Campaign No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality

[Brussels, 20 May 2014]  This week, EU Citizens have the right to vote in the European elections. The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) has done some analysis of the manifestos of the main European political parties from a gender perspective. The EWL Gender Audit assesses the parties’ commitment to gender equality and how their manifestos compare with the EWL’s own manifesto for the elections.

The EWL Manifesto “Act now for her future, commit to gender equality!” makes three general demands:

• a comprehensive framework to achieve gender equality through notably the establishment of an EU Coordinator on women’s rights and gender equality;
• sustainable funding for gender equality;
• credible EU policies on gender equality at international level.

It also focuses on the importance of promoting women’s economic independence through guaranteeing equal pay for men and women, the urgent need for firm measures to end violence against women including through an EU Year to End Violence against women and girls in 2016, and the realisation of parity democracy.

The EWL Gender Audit assesses the level of commitment within the main European political parties to gender equality in Europe in the following policy areas:

• Women’s economic independence
• A Europe free from violence
• Parity Democracy
• Diverse in Equality
• Caring society

We are surprised to see that two of the European parties, namely the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE), do not mention ‘women’ even once in their manifestos. We invite both these parties to reflect on how to strengthen their commitment to gender equality.

The manifestos of the European Greens, the Party of European Socialist (PES) and the European Left Party do include commitments to a number of relevant aspects of the EWL manifesto. The EWL analysis includes areas where we would like to see these parties reinforce their commitment.

This evaluation provides a powerful tool for the EWL, its member organisations and all European citizens who will be voting this week and want to see gender equality and women’s rights high on the political agenda.

Why is it important to go and vote? The European Union is a key player in terms of democracy and social change. By voting at the European elections in May, you decide who represents YOU in the European Parliament. The candidates you choose are your supporters for the next five years. They define European politics, take on the present and shape the future of women and girls, men and boys in Europe.

So, share this information with your networks, your friends and families and vote for change in Europe, vote for equality this week!