07/03/2011 President
José Mendes Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD), Chairperson of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, calls for more parliamentary mobilisation in the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
"I cannot think of any other so blatant, widespread and persistent injustice as inequality between women and men," said Mr Mendes Bota on the celebration of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.
"In one century, immense progress has been achieved in the recognition of equality of rights between women and men. At the same time, an increasing number of policies have been introduced to fight against discrimination and ensure that women and men have the same opportunities in social, economic and political. However, the gap between theory and reality is far too wide."
"We politicians should play a more pro-active role to take gender equality out of the realm of what is a politically-correct theory and make it happen, for real. We have to use our power of legislative and political initiative, our right of oversight of the government and other institutions’ action and our capacity of mobilisation of the public opinion to bridge the gap between the law and its effective enforcement, between theory and practice."
"We vote the laws. We approve policies. Let’s have them implemented."