Amended proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the balanced participation of women and men in decision- making
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES it •& Brussels, 30. 05. 19% COM(96) 252 final 95/0308 (CNS) Amended proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the balanced participation of women and men in decision-making (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 a(2) of the EC Treaty) EXPLANATORY STATEMENT 1. 2. 3 The initial proposal for a Council Recommendation was adopted by the Commision on 29 November 1995 (COM(95) 593 final). Its aim is to encourage the Member States to examine the question of the balance between women and men in all areas of decision-making (economic, political, social and cultural), and to adopt a comprehensive and integrated strategy to achieve such a balance. The Economic and Social Committee delivered favourable opinion on this initial proposal (24 April 1996) At its plenary of May 24th, the European Parliament voted 36 amendments, of which 8 are acceptable by the Commission in toto and 1 in part (2, 8, 10, 14, 19, 25, 26, 31, 35): The accepted amendments strenghten and broaden the scope of the initial proposal in terms of: the importance of reconciling professional and family life, the close links between the decision-making process and women's participation in the labour market as well as main streaming. the need for public campaigns the monitoring and evaluation of targets the promotion of entrepreneur ship of women 4 The amendments which are not accepted can be seperated into three groups: Those which: propose changes to the meaning of the text that do not appear to add anything useful (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 30, 32) propose completely new concepts which are not yet developed sufficiently either by the Commission or the Member States (5, 9, 13, 28, 29, 33). refer to areas where Commission has the right of initiative (36) or propose activities for the Commission which fall outside its present competences (34). The amended proposal takes into account those amendments which have been accepted by the Commission. COM (95) 593 final PROPOSAL FOR AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON THE BALANCED PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND MEN IN DECISION MAKING A COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON THE BALANCED PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND MEN IN DECISION MAKING THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof, having regard to the Commission's proposal, having regard to the opinion of European Parliament, the having regard to the opinion of Economic and Social Committee, the having regard to Committee of the Regions, the opinion of the legislative Whereas the Council has adopted a series of instruments and political commitments in the field of equal treatment and opportunities for men and women; of State the Heads Whereas and Government, meeting within the European Council in Essen and Cannes, stressed that equal opportunities for women and men and the fight against unemployment were paramount tasks of the European Union and its Member States; Whereas attention was focused on women's access to decision-making in the Council Recommendation of 13 December 1984 on the promotion of positive action for women, in the Council Resolution of 24 July 1986 on the promotion of equal opportunities for women and in the Council Resolution of 21 May 1991 on the Third Medium-Term Community Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (1991- 1995); to on the the 1995 the Council Resolution of Whereas balanced 27 March participation of women and men in decision-making called on the Member balanced States "promote participation of men and women in decision-making as a priority objective in the context of their respective practices regarding equal opportunities for women and men and to adopt this objective as such in their government's programmes" and, moreover, called upon the Commission "to draw up a draft recommendation to be submitted the Council aimed at promoting the balanced participation of women and men in decision-making"; to Whereas the European Parliament in its Resolution of 11 February 1994 "on women in decision-making bodies" asked the Commission "to step up implementation of the equal opportunities policy. to combat individual obstacles which hinder women from taking part in decision-making" and to define "measures and actions to promote in the greater participation of women decision-making process"; Whereas the European Commission's Fourth Medium-Term Community Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (1996 to 2000), which has been submitted to the Council for decision, the balanced included promotion of participation of women and men in decision-making as one of its six main objectives; Whereas the Declaration and the Action Platform of the Fourth World Conference on Women stressed the need to ensure that responsibilities, powers and rights are shared equally, and that the Member States are fully involved in the implementation of the platform for action; Whereas the underrepresentation of women in decision-making bodies is largely a result of the delay in women's attaining equal rights and of obstacles to their gaining economic independence; Whereas women are still underrepresented in such bodies - be they public or private, political, administrative, economic, social or cultural; Whereas women account for over half the population and balanced participation of women and men in representation and administration of nations is a requirement for democracy; Whereas the underrepresentation of women in decision-making posts constitutes a loss for society as a whole and does not allow interests and needs of the whole the population to be catered for in full; Whereas the underrepresentation of women in decision-making bodies is largely a result of the delay in women's attaining equal rights and of obstacles to their gaining economic independence; as well as of the difficulty of combining the pursuit of a career with family life: (new) Whereas the aim of improving women's participation in the decision-making process cannot be divorced from employment policy to women of given continuing segregation in the labour market and the increasing casualization of female labour: the disadvantage (new) Whereas measures aimed at achieving equal participation of women and men in the decision-making process in all sectors must go hand the goal of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all Community policies: in hand with Whereas a' balanced participation of men and women in decision-making is likely to ideas, values and give rise to different behaviour which will result in more justice and equality in the world for both men and women; Whereas the Member States, the social partners, political parties and organisations, NGOs and the media have a key role to play in creating a society where public and private, economic, political and domestic responsibilities are shared equally by women and men; Whereas, in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality as set out in Article 3B of the Treaty establishing the European Community, the aim of the -the balanced present Recommendation participation of women and men in decision-making- can be pursued more effectively by the exchange of information and examples of good practice within a common framework for all Member States; it is therefore appropriate to propose, at Community level, guidelines to promote a balanced representation of women and men in decision-making bodies; whereas the present recommendation is limited to the minimum necessary to obtain this objective and does not exceed what is necessary; Whereas, in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality as set out in Article 3B of the Treaty establishing the European Community, the aim of the -the balanced present Recommendation participation of women and men in decision-making- can be pursued more effectively by the exchange of information and examples of good practice within a common framework for all Member States; it is therefore appropriate to propose, at Community level, guidelines to promote balanced participation bv women and men in decision-making bodies with a view to achieving equality between women and men: whereas the present recommendation is limited to the minimum necessary to obtain this objective and does not exceed what is necessary; Whereas the Treaty does not confer, for the this purpose Recommendation, any other powers that those set out in article 235, adoption the of of RECOMMENDS THAT THE MEMBER STATES: I. 2. a) comprehensive strategy designed Adopt a and to integrated promote balanced representation of women and men in places of power, influence and decision, and develop or introduce suitable legislative or regulatory measures or incentives to achieve this. Highlight in school textbooks and curricula and in education and training at all levels the role and the contribution of women in society and stress the importance of sharing both private responsibilities between women and men, public and b) c) d) 3. a) Take suitable steps so that the image of women and men in the advertising neither media and reinforces consolidates nor unjustified stereotyping of men's and women's responsibilities, c) Devise, encourage and propagate public campaigns to alert public opinion the usefulness and advantages for society as a whole of balanced participation by women and men in decision-making, to Devise, encourage and propagate public campaigns targeted at men and women to raise awareness of the usefulness and advantages for society as a whole of balanced participation by women and men in decision-making, including among others campaigns run in conjunction elections. Ensure proper with evaluation of these campaings to guarantee their effectiveness: to the media Alert the social partners, political parties and groups, associations and NGOs and the importance of a balance between women and men in decision-making bodies, and encourage to develop equal opportunities plans with measures to ease access to decision-making for women. them of in publication Develop or promote the production and statistics illustrating how men and women are decision-making represented circles in general and in political and administrative domains, public c o m m i t t e e s, c o u n c i ls and management administrative boards at national, regional and local level and in the economy and social and cultural life in particular, and b) c) 4. a) b) Support, develop and encourage quantitative and qualitative studies on women and men in decision making and especially on the legal, social or cultural obstacles to decision-making for persons of either sex, on ideas and concepts which are likely to enhance the concept of a democratic partnership between women and men and on strategies to bring about equality in decision-making, Support and encourage initiatives creating examples of good practice in the various areas of decision making and develop programmes for the"dissemination and exchange of to experience with propagating such practice. view a Promote a better balance between women and men at all levels of government, Introduce or pursue active measures, such as mentorship activities and target figures, to promote a balance between women and men in political representation at national, regional and local level, including advisory bodies which contribute to public decision-making. Particular attention should be paid to the promotion of in a and committees, working groups at national as well as European level. commissions composition balanced b) Introduce or pursue active measures, such as mentorship activities and target figures with timetables and effective monitoring of these targets. to promote women's access to political representation with a view to achieving equal representation of women and men at national, regional and local level, including advisory bodies which contribute to public decision-making, and ensure are that monitored, and evaluated. Particular attention should be paid to the promotion of a balanced composition in committees, commissions and working groups at national as well as European level. such measures documented all 4b(a)(new) Review the differential impact of electoral systems on the political representation of women in elected consider, where bodies appropriate, the adjustment or reform of these systems. and c) d) e) or and develop Implement equal opportunities plans for the public sector incorporating the concept of balanced participation in decision making, ensure, when recruitment competitions take place, that women and men are, as far as possible, represented equally in the committees for preparing competitions and in the selection boards, responsible levels Encourage the private sector to increase the presence of women at all of decision-making, notably by the adoption, or within the framework, of equality plans or positive action programmes, 4d(a)(new) for to programmes promote and Provide measures female entrepreneurship and give women greater access to the professions. radio press, Encourage and television organisations to adopt to promote balanced measures participation by women and men in production, management and decision-making bodies, AND THEREFORE CALLS ON THE COMMISSION: 1. 2. 3. to step up its efforts to provide information, alert public opinion, encourage research and promote pilot activities to achieve balanced participation by women and men in decision-making, to encourage and organise, in conjunction with the Member States, systematic pooling of experience and policies implemented to achieve a balance in between women decision-making, assessment and men of to submit a report to the Council, within three years of adoption of this Recommendation, on progress achieved in implementing it on the basis of information provided by the Member States. to submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council, within three years of adoption of this Recommendation, progress achieved in implementing it on the basis of information provided by the Member States. on 10 X ISSN 0254-1475 COM(96) 252 final DOCUMENTS EN 04 05 Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-264-EN-C ISBN 92-78-05191-8 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg M