PES Manifesto

1. Good child care facilities and parental leave would help by avalon on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 11:08

In order to really give men and women equal opportunities in what concerns careers, women and men should have the same rights and obligations towards their children.

For the moment women take a maternity leave when they have a child, but their husbands often consider it a "women's thing" and they don't take the parental leave they are entitled to. Of course one might argue that the lenght of these paternity leaves is not the same throughout the EU and that it is also a matter of mentality the fact that daddys see it as something secondary when compared to maternity leaves (lots of men still don't consider paternity leaves to be as important as maternity leaves).

On the other hand, I think that good child care facilities would undoubtely help women to develop their careers. But once again, mentalities must change; when parents come home from their jobs, taking care of children should be a task for both men and women. 

2. More women in politics by Asynjen on Monday, March 10, 2008 at 10:21

My number one issue would be to improve representation of women in politics! If we had a better gender balance among power holders I'm convinced that there would also be more political focus on equality problems.

3. Conférence du PSE sur le dialogue interculturel et les femmesConférence du Parlement européen sur les femmes by thanos on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 12:27

Chère madame Gurmai,

Je voudrais tout d'abord vous féliciter pour les combats que vous menez concernant l'égalité entre les hommes et les femmes. je suis étudiant en sciences politiques ici à Bruxelles, et depuis ma première année je suis vos actions avec grand intérêt.

Je pense que la journée de la femme est très importante pour montrer les choses qui ont deja étés accomplies dans le domaine de l'égalité. C'est exactement ce qui a été éffectué pendant la conférence au Parlement européen (sur la journée des femmes) mais aussi au sein du PSE avec la conférence à laquelle vous avez participé: "Women in intercultural dialogue".

Je pense qu'il faut faire encore beaucoup dans le domaine de l'égalité et que les journées organisées par le PSE, le Parlement européen et d'autres partis politiques ou acteurs concernés sont très positives. Les gens se rencontrent, ils discutent, ils se sensibilisent et ensuite transmettent le message. Lors de la conférence organisée par le Parlement européen, j'ai eu l'occasion de rencontrer une dame, membre du Parlement grec faisant partie de la délégation grecque présente à l'événement. La rencontre fut très positive, j'ai pu discuter avec elle et échanger quelques idées. Ca m'a fait très plaisir. Après avoir participé à la conférence du PSE et du Parlement européen concernant les femmes, j'ai parlé avec des amis à l'université. Je pense qu'il est crucial de communiquer le message à tout le monde. Il faut parler, donner des exemples concrets pour que les gens se rendent compte que oui, l'Europe, les partis politiques font quelque chose de bien, que les gens comprennent qu'il est important de discuter, d'échanger des idées, des informations et des exemples concrets concernant l'égalité et le respect mutuel.

 Encore une fois félicitation pour vos éfforts et vos actions

J'éspère pouvoir vous rencontrer un jour, ici à Bruxelles 

4. Women of Europe All in it together. The same rights the same fights (Zita Gurmai) by jorn on Friday, April 18, 2008 at 14:13

I have some small remarks: 

In 1924  the very first socialdemocratic government was formed. This government had one woman Minister, Nina Bang. She was a minister of Education. In fact, she was also the first minister of the world.

I think numbers mentioned, was terrible to read.

The Danish Parliement has 179 members. 67 members are women. This make a percent of 37,4.

The University in Aarhus has a total number of 29,573 students. This includes 16,736 women or 56 percent.

In these days social workes, nursing staffs etc. have gone into a strike for equal pay. Nobody knows when this strike will come to an end.

In my town the city council has 31 members. 8 members are women, and 4 members in the social democratic group of 14 members has 4 women as members. The way to have more women as members are to get active women to be candidates to an election, but this work to get women for that purpose is very hard. In such a case the women will have a top position on the wote paper. Therefore, they have chance to be election to the council.

When we come to prostitution, we must say no. The police must find the girls. Prostitution is a social tragedy and we must ignore people who says that prostitution is the eldest trade in the world. The girls must be handed over to the socialauthorities for taking care and not send them back to their homelands. It is most girls from the poor Eastern and Middle European countries, where girls have been promised to earn a lot of money. But the girls will be prostitutes. We cannot accept such traffic and therefore, we have to get the wirepullers

In order to promote womens health, we must try to inform women that they must have influence with their homes ecenomy. They have to know a family economic situation, and to what purpose they spend their money.

"Dads what about staying home with childrens". I know such a situation myself. Men can have overtime at work, and women too. The dad has to change the overtime with another one, and if they are political active, and may have meetings, they must change the time of meetings or cancel a meeting, so dad can stay at home with the children.

 I do hope these lines can help the manifesto. Jorn, Aarhus, Denmark.