A women networking for helping women: spring forward for women

by Sara Borraccino

photo from www.usaid.gov

On the last 5th and 6th of November the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM) of the European Parliament has hosted the “Spring forward for women” conference, co-organised by UN women and the European Commission. This event was part of the “Economic and political empowerment of women in the Southern Mediterranean region programme”. It aimed to bring together women parliamentarians from the States of the Arab Spring and members of the European Parliament.

The politicians shared their own experience and underlined the importance of creating a network around the key issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment in both the European Union and the Arab States. If we look at the number of women in politics in these countries the disparity of representation is well-rendered. Even though the female gender represents 50% of the population, there are still very few women who act in the public offices.

Politics is not the only sector in which female sex is underperformed. From a recent study, there is no State in the World where women and men share the same treatment and the same rights. A real equality will be achieved by 2095, into 81 years. “How to speed up this process?” has wondered the EP President, Martin Schulz, during his inspiring opening speech.“First of all, we have to redefine the concept of woman, we have to change our narrative because we tend to exagerate progress” declared Ms Phumzile Mlambo-ngcuka, Executive Director of UN women. The change has not to be only in laws, but on people's hearts and minds, suggested Michael A. Kohler, Director for the Neighbourhood at EuropeAid (Directorate General 'Cooperation and Development' of the European Commission). According to him, equal education is the first step but is not sufficient to assure an equal treatment. Well educated women can still be victim of preconceptions.

Even though the process of economic and political empowerment is more recent in the Arabic world in comparison with Europe, women suffer of violence and prejudice more the men in both areas. The existence of a dedicated committee who deals with women rights inside the European Parliament underlines the need to promote women empowerment in the European Union too.

The FEMM, who has celebrated his 30th anniversary in occasion of the conference, is one of the most active EP committees which has been constantly working for gender equality.

Even though the European Union is making efforts to make a change, achieving gender equality is an ambitious project and there is still a long path to go and many discussions will be taken place during the process. Therefore, the committee Vice-President, Mrs Barbara Matera, has committed herself to took on organising another conference soon.