Door uitbreiding dreigt daling aantal vrouwen in Europees Parlement (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU enlargement could bring a decrease in women's representation in the European Parliament after next June's elections, a report adopted on 6 November highlights.

The fears amongst euro-parliamentarians stem from the fact that amongst the observer MEPs from the acceding countries, only 14.2% are women - of these, Estonia, Malta and Slovenia do not have any female representatives.

Currently women count for 31% of the total number of MEPs.

A report adopted yesterday by the House, calls on political parties to agree on common policies such as, that women candidates should make up 30% of their party lists in the 10-13 June elections.

It also urges the European Commission, national governments, national parliaments and women's organisations to fund and organise awareness campaigns on the promotion of women's political participation, prior to the 2004 elections.

Danish Liberal MEP Lone Dybkjær, who drafted the report, said that men, especially at the highest levels of decision making, hold a quasi-monopoly in politics.

Although women make up at least half of the electorate and have attained the right to vote and hold office in all Member States, they continue to be seriously under-represented in political decision-making.

Moreover, women also have to cope with the dual burden of attending to their family as well as pursuing their professional careers.