25/06/2009 Equality and Non-Discrimination
"Women have limited access to resources and decision-making. On the other hand, they are often the main victims of conflicts," said Krista Kiuru (Finland, SOC), rapporteur of the PACE Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, at the fifth meeting of women members of the Assembly. "The gender perspective and the contribution of women are a crisis management tool and must be incorporated into conflict prevention and resolution, but there will be no fundamental change until there is a change in mentalities," stressed the parliamentarian, who is preparing a report on the subject.
Helen Shaw, Chair of the Board of British Irish Rights Watch (BIRW), the organisation that won the 2009 Human Rights Prize, was the guest of honour at the meeting, which was also addressed by Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe.