European Women’s Lobby 50/50 Campaign

European Women's Lobby 50/50 Campaign
"No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality

In 2009, Europeans will elect a new European Parliament and a new European Commission will be appointed. These elected and nominated persons are going to shape our future in Europe, and the “50/50 Campaign for Democracy” aims to ensure that women and men are equally represented.

SIGN NOW and TAKE ACTION!

Women are currently still under-represented in all European institutions where decisions are made which affect our lives. With the “50/50 Campaign for Democracy”, we at the European Women’s Lobby want to push for concrete action to increase women’s presence in politics.

Many prominent persons from across Europe have already given their wholehearted support to the EWL 50/50 Campaign. Now we invite YOU to be part of our efforts too!

Your participation in the European elections as a voter or a candidate, and your involvement with decision-makers speaking for democracy, justice and gender equality can help us build a more democratic European Union.

Find out more about the 50/50 Campaign here!

You can also read our Call for Action in your own language.
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 FACTS AND FIGURES

Women in decision making in figures

Less than one third of the members of the European parliament are women, but there are big disparities between the statistics between Member States and political groups. Women are in average even less represented in national parliaments of the EU member states: only 22% of the members of national parliaments are women.

Download Factsheet 1 comprising figures for the representation of women in European and national institutions.

Measures for the promotion of gender equality in decision making

The equal participation of women and men in decision-making is seen by European and international institutions as a fundamental basis of democracy and social justice and has been strongly promoted. However, in concrete terms, at European level no binding provisions exist for the realisation of gender equality in decision-making within European institutions. At national level some EU Member States have acted to fulfil these commitments and introduced various quota and parity measures to promote women in decision-making.

Introducing quotas and parity measures is only one way to reach the equal representation of women and men. Also reforming electoral systems, changing internal rules of the parliamentary assemblies and introducing policies to improve reconciliation of work and family and private life and fight the gender pay gap are needed.

Download Factsheet 2 outlining the existing measures taken for the promotion of gender equality in decision-making.