PES Women President Zita Gurmai calls on Prime Ministers and Heads of State to “include a real gender equality approach in the Europe 2020 Strategy with clear targets and defined rights”.

A true gender perspective is essential in order to encourage economic and social growth in the European Union. Steering ourselves out of the current crisis, of which women are long-term victims, means recognising their essential role in society. Women are key to Europe’s recovery, as they represent 52% of the EU population and 60% of university graduates. Read the declaration

Therefore, we need to ensure that by 2020, the EU   

• Reaches at least 70% female employment

• Reaches and extends the Barcelona targets

• Lowers the EU gender pay gap by 10%

• Breaks stereotypes and promotes women to top positions, based on the Norwegian model

Beyond these indispensable targets, PES Women is absolutely firm in calling for a European Women’s Rights Charter, as we believe that a Right’s Charter is a strongly concrete, tangible way to achieve the most important of our goals: gender equality in Europe.

Although the Lisbon Strategy, a social-democratic project at origin, has allowed the achievement of certain goals, Zita Gurmai warns that “we cannot lose the ground we have already gained. On the contrary, we must build upon the gender-equality elements existing in the Lisbon Strategy to take not one, but several steps further in the new 2020 Strategy”.

A better, stronger gender equality perspective and a European Women’s Rights Charter will allow women, who have not caused this crisis, to be part of its solution.

For further information please contact Brian Synnott on +32 474 98 96 75 (brian.synnott(at)pes.org)