WUNRN
European Women's Lobby - EWL
EUROPEAN WOMEN'S LOBBY CAMPAIGNS FOR
MORE WOMEN'S
PRESENCE & LEADERSHIP IN
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
2 September 2011
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While the situation has improved
marginally since 2004, as the proportion of women in the European Parliament
increased from about 30% in 2004 to 35% after the 2009 elections, there is
still no parity in this Institution. Notwithstanding the importance of the
general figure regarding women’s presence within the European Parliament, it is
at least equally important to ensure the equal representation of women in
internal decision-making positions within the EP, notably as (Vice)-Presidents
and (Vice)-Chairs of committees.
The mid-term elections of the
European Parliament Bureau and elections of Chairs and Vice-Chairs of
committees in January 2012 offer the opportunity to improve the situation
compared with 2009 and to make the EP exemplary in terms of the equal
representation of women and men in power and decision-making by reaching parity
in the Bureau and committee leadership.
This will also put in practice
the European Parliament Resolution on Women in decision-making of 02 March
2000, endorsing the use of transitional quotas to bring more women into
decision-making.
The under-representation of women
in the EP decision-making bodies is a serious obstacle to the democratic
legitimacy of the EU. Within the Conference of Presidents of the European
Parliament, there is only one woman out of the seven Chairs of the Political Groups.
Only eight of the 22 presidents of the European Parliament Committees are women
(36.6%).
The Bureau of the European
Parliament has almost reached parity, with the election of six women out of the
14 vice-presidents in 2009 and two of the five Quaestors.
The picture of power sharing
within the European Parliament shows that women are still largely
under-represented in some of the key internal bodies where agendas are set and
financial decisions are made.
The current under-representation
of women as Chairs of European Political Groups is alarming. Political Groups
in the European Parliament play a major role in making decisions concerning the
sharing of power within the Institution. They also have a duty to respect and
promote fundamental rights. Among these are the commitments made by the
European Union and its