Follow-up to the Peking action platform

The European Parliament adopted the resolution drafted by Miet SMET (EPP, Blgium) and Lissy GRONER (PES, Germany) on the follow up to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The Parliament deplored the lack of agreed indicators, gender-segregated data, benchmarks and a clear timetable in the Patform for Action, this being a major obstacle to proper evaluation of progress made over the last five years. It urged the participants at Beijing +5 to establish indicators and benchmarks. In the future EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, women's and girl's rights should not be considered as special rights, but as an integral part of universal human rights. The Council, Commission and the Member States were asked to act decisively to tackle violence against women. The UN is urged to emphasise gender mainstreaming in the resolution of armed conflicts, peace-building, and reconciliation. Parliamnt recommended that the EU in cooperation with the Council of Europe and NGO's, conduct a multiannual campaign on violence and discrimination against women. Member States should use quotas as a transitional measure to achieve the balanced representation of women and men in political life. A list of priority measures is also called for at EU level, including a proposal for a fifth Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men that is adequately funded and includes targets, benchmarks and assessment mechanisms. Member States and the Commission need to provide sufficient financial resources to ensure that the measures required and gender mainstreaming are implemented in order to achieve the goals of the Platform for Action.�