Political, social and civic position of women in Europe

Recommendation 504 (1967)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debates on 27th and 28th September 1967 (12th and 13th Sittings) (see Doc. 2265, report of the Social Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 28th September 1967 (13th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Having regard to its Resolution 356 (1967) ;

2. Having regard to the report of the Social Committee on the political, social and civic position of women in Europe (Doc. 2265) ;

3. Considering the far-reaching changes which have taken place in the world, especially in the position and role of women in society ;

4. Considering in particular that women constitute about one third of the economically active population of Europe, and that any measures affecting them has important repercussions on the national economy ;

5. Noting that the principles of equality between men and women are embodied in :

the United Nations Convention on the Political Rights of Women ;

International Labour Conventions Nos. 100 on equal pay, and 111 on discrimination in jobs and professions ;

Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ;

Article 4 of the European Social Charter; and

Article 119 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ;

Noting, however, that these principles of non-discrimination are not fully respected in reality, particularly in the matter of employment, promotion and pay ;

Considering that this situation is largely caused by broad sections of the population - even women themselves - holding to old-fashioned concepts and prejudices,

Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

a take immediately all appropriate action to ensure that the provisions concerning non-discrimination contained in the Conventions and Treaties referred to in paragraph 5 above are ratified and effectively applied ;

b study, with a view to subsequent inclusion in the Intergovernmental Work Programme of the Council of Europe, a series of measures concerning the part which women are called upon to play in the European society of the future and in particular the problems of equal pay, of vocational training and retraining, and of the legal position of married women ;

c initiate an information campaign on a European scale, designed to instruct public opinion and prepare it for these changes.