Doslovno izvješće

Četvrtak, 22. listopada 2020. - Bruxelles

5. Rodna ravnopravnost u vanjskoj i sigurnosnoj politici EU-a (rasprava)

  President. – The next item is the report by Ernest Urtasun, on behalf of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy (2019/2167(INI)) (A9-0145/2020).

I would like to inform Members that for all debates of this part-session, there will be no catch-the-eye procedure and that no blue cards and points of order will be accepted. Furthermore, possible remote interventions from Parliament’s Liaison Offices in the Member States are foreseen.

  Ernest Urtasun, rapporteur. – Mr President, I’m very pleased to be presenting today, with my dear colleague Hannah Neumann, the first ever European Parliament report outlining all the political, institutional and funding aspects needed for the achievement of gender equality in EU foreign and security policy.

In light of the current global challenges, like the climate emergency and growing trends towards authoritarianism, where women and girls are the most impacted, the need for a gender-based EU foreign and security policy becomes more urgent than ever. Following the example of a number of countries, we want the EU and its institutions to follow a similar path. The EU has taken already some important steps in this direction, like the Gender Action Plans I and II or the women, peace and security agenda. However their implementation still displays a number of shortcomings.

In the report we present several recommendations to be considered in the upcoming new Gender Action Plan 2021-25 that will be published shortly. Starting with political representation and participation in decision-making processes, we ask for a gender quota of 50% at all levels of the Commission and EEAS management by 2024, including heads of delegation and heads of CSDP missions. Mandatory training courses on gender equality, with special attention to middle and upper managers of the EEAS and heads of CSDP missions and operations, should also be introduced.

More resources need to be assigned to the EEAS Principal Advisor on Gender to continue and reinforce her work. Therefore, we call on the High Representative to continue his efforts in this area by appointing a full-time gender adviser in each EEAS directorate and to establish gender focal points in all EU delegations. We also need to increase the efficient use of existing and future EU resources through gender responsive budgeting.

As we negotiate at the moment the proposed neighbourhood development and international cooperation instrument we should make gender mainstreaming and targeted actions clear objectives under that regulation and ensure that partners can count on sufficient political and financial support to implement it.

At the same time the EU needs to dedicate efforts to monitor the backlash against gender equality and LGBTIQ+ rights in the world, promote the human rights of women and protect women human rights defenders. In particular, sexual and reproductive health and rights are being threatened inside the EU but also outside; particularly, in crisis zones, women and girls are exposed to sexual violence, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual exploitation and rape as a weapon of war. Therefore, we call on the EU and its Member States to take steps to protect women and their sexual rights in their humanitarian aid response, as well as access to justice.

The year 2020 marks the anniversary of several key events: the 20th anniversary of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the 14th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration on women’s rights. The EU’s role has been crucial in advancing on all these milestones, but it needs to stand out now in its commitment to make gender equality a priority in its foreign and security policy. I hope this report will contribute to achieving this goal and I would like to thank all the colleagues, also some of them present here in the room, for their support and their cooperation in achieving that draft report.

  Hannah Neumann, rapporteur for the opinion of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. – Mr President, when Operation Sophia, the one that was actually still allowed to do search and rescue in the Mediterranean, was launched in 2015, there were long discussions about the operation plans because it was different, a new mission. Most of the discussion was about what kind of weapons this mission would need to overpower people on the boats and what kind of specific training to do that. At some point, it was a woman who asked about sanitary napkins and diapers because there would be women and small children on the boats and they would be on the ships with us for quite some days. In the end, the sanitary napkins and the diapers were used much more than the weapons.

This example just shows how more diversity leads to better decisions and, yes, sometimes it is that stereotypical. The same is true when we speak about peace negotiations because peace deals last longer if women are involved, because societies are more peaceful if they are gender equal, but still to this day negotiation tables and the whole field of peace and security is a male domain. I can’t even remember how many rooms I walked into in the last 15 years where I was the only woman, either being ignored or stared at curiously.

That’s why we dedicated large parts of this report to our own EU institutions and our own EU budget because there we actually have 100% of the power to change it and no excuses. That’s why we ask for 50% of women in CSDP missions in our own services. That’s why we want a specific part of the foreign budget to go into projects that empower women and girls to claim their spot because they know how it works.

There was an amazing spirit during our negotiations in the committee because I think we all agree that we want an EU foreign policy that is for everybody. But now it’s time to change the reality out there and to really speed things up on women, peace and security. That’s why, Ms Urpilainen, but also Mr Borrell and the whole Commission, you had better come up with an ambitious gender action plan towards the end of this year.

  Jutta Urpilainen, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, the debate on the participation and role of women in foreign and security policy is relevant at any moment and one I’m very attached to. I fully agree with your report on the necessity to accelerate our ongoing work on gender equality and women’s rights.

First, the COVID-19 context – now more than ever – requires a response at the global scale which fully integrates a gender perspective in all our analyses and responses to the pandemic and in the recovery phase. The EU has been frontloading actions to support women and girls in the crisis, notably through the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative. Under this initiative, we were able to adopt priority actions on the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence as urgent needs. We prioritised helplines and shelters for victims of domestic violence and frontline support for women’s grass roots organisations. We must transform this into an opportunity to review and accelerate our engagement to promote gender equality within the EU and around the world.

Second, I welcome your call for robust implementation of the EU Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. The EU is at the forefront of the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Allow me to highlight the importance of holding this discussion today a few days before the 20th anniversary of the adoption of this milestone transformative document. In this context, I fully – I fully – share your view on the importance of the gender advisers and we have already paved new ground through the establishment of posts for gender advisers and the creation of the gender focal points networks in military and civilian operations and missions of our common security and defence policy.

Finally, I am very glad to confirm that I will present with the High Representative in November a new EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III. It will enable us to reaffirm gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment as a core priority of all EU External Action. GAP III takes the thread from the recent EU Gender Equality Strategy and is the first such EU policy framework on gender equality externally. It draws from the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on building back better from the crisis by addressing structural inequalities. It will integrate the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, as called for in your report. It will also expand action in key areas of engagement, addressing new challenges and opportunities in line with the Commission’s political priorities, such as ensuring a fair and inclusive green transition and managing the digital transformation.

Last, but not least, it will very much – very much – draw on your recommendations regarding the need for the EU and its staff to set the example on gender equality and to promote gender-responsive leadership in achieving this.

Mr President, the EU must continue to reaffirm that women’s rights are human rights. The ambition is there for a gender-sensitive and responsive geopolitical Commission and I thank this House for its support. I’m looking forward to our discussion.

(Applause)

  Frances Fitzgerald, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, women’s rights are human rights, indeed. It is critical that foreign policy, security and defence, peacebuilding, reconciliation and justice are viewed as domains where women’s contributions are central. These areas can never again be seen solely through a male lens.

This report is yet another critical step and must be implemented. Women have always been affected by war and peace, as confidants, as victims and as the hidden advisors behind the men at the table: wives, daughters, sisters, soldiers and simply those experiencing the frontline. Whether we are speaking about the women in Rwanda, whether we are talking about Kurdish women, or indeed the women of Northern Ireland who came together to say ‘enough’, and who contributed hugely to, and guided, the peace process towards the Good Friday Agreement.

Foreign policy more and more – increasingly, but not enough – is guided by strong, brave and ambitious women. It is a statement of fact that women need to be involved, as strongly endorsed by the UN 20 years ago next week with the adoption of the Security Council resolution. I am very proud that Ireland’s recent campaign for membership of the Security Council placed the advancement of the ideals in the resolution on women, peace and security at its core, recognising that building lasting peace is not possible without building a more equal and inclusive society.

That’s what this report is about. Let’s make sure that gender equality applies in these arenas with a critical mass of women. Let us take advantage of women’s unique perspective and ensure the barriers that continue to keep women excluded from political decision-making fora are urgently removed. Let’s act together here in the EU institutions to ensure that.

  Alessandra Moretti, a nome del gruppo S&D. – Signor Presidente, signora Commissaria, onorevoli colleghi, diciamo spesso che la questione di genere deve attraversare tutte le politiche europee, la Commissione con la sua Presidente l'ha dichiarata tra le sfide più importanti e noi parlamentari attraverso il gender mainstreaming network ci siamo detti pronti a perseguire questa strada e a chiedere le risorse necessarie per realizzare questo obiettivo.

Votando questa relazione possiamo finalmente muovere un passo concreto verso una politica che sia comprensiva dei bisogni, ma soprattutto delle risorse che le donne possono mettere in campo. Le donne sono un valore imprescindibile per la crescita e lo sviluppo della nostra società. La nostra azione deve essere uno strumento per garantire i diritti umani, compresi i diritti delle donne e delle ragazze, che sono i primi ad essere sacrificati. L'accesso ai servizi sanitari sessuali e riproduttivi è una precondizione per l'uguaglianza di genere e quindi per il progresso e il benessere.

E il cambiamento climatico è spesso la causa dell'erosione di questi diritti. Persistono stereotipi di genere che spingono le donne a migrare rischiando violenza, sfruttamento e traffico di esseri umani. Come si può quindi parlare di politica estera ambientale, di migrazioni, senza tener conto dell'uguaglianza di genere?

Ringrazio il relatore e tutti coloro che hanno collaborato alla stesura di un testo progressista, che guarda finalmente alle donne come agenti di cambiamento e non come vittime, che studia la questione di politica estera senza limitarsi ad una piatta descrizione dello status quo, ma che mette al centro le persone di qualsiasi genere, provenienza ed età.

  Samira Rafaela, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, freedom, peace and stability are too valuable to leave in the hands of men alone.

Women make up half of our society. Their participation in foreign and security policy is not only a matter of representation, it is also vital for sustainable peace. Unfortunately, the idea of a gender sensitive and inclusive foreign and security policy is not engrained in our societies.

Worse yet, our very own EU institutions lack in this. I am astonished to learn that we have still not progressed on this. Our gender action plan is not implemented properly. We have a lack of gender responsive budgeting, and no gender sensitive institutional structure to reach these critical goals. How is it possible that men still hold 87% of senior management posts in the European External Action Service? We should be embarrassed, and as the EU we lose credibility as proponents of equal rights for men and women in Europe and abroad.

I have said this before and I will say this again: walk the talk.

That is why we as the EU Parliament call for corrective measures. We want binding political commitments for a target of 50% of women in management positions, including heads of delegation and in our common security and defence policy missions and operations.

Let me remind you, 2020 marks important anniversaries of the Beijing Declaration and the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. This UN resolution stresses the importance of women’s equal participation in the maintenance and promotion of peace and security around the globe. They know what is necessary for their own security and safety. These vital conditions contribute to an inclusive and sustainable future for all of us.

As we look for alliances in the region, and internationally, it is important that our institutions at home reflect our vision for abroad, where we reach out to women who have been left behind. The future will challenge us in new and unpredictable ways and it is important we adapt to this. I urge Member States in the EU to adopt a feminist foreign and security policy, leaving no one behind, as we strive for common peace and security at home and abroad.

Striving for equal representation means sustainable peace and security for everyone.

  Guido Reil, im Namen der ID-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Es geht heute um den Bericht zur Gleichstellung von Männern und Frauen im Rahmen der Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik. Also diese Überschrift halte ich schon für einen Skandal, denn wir sprechen von Männern und Frauen und haben dabei die Diversen vergessen – also das ist politisch völlig unkorrekt! Gott sei Dank habe ich dann festgestellt, als ich den Bericht intensiv gelesen habe, dass natürlich die diversen Geschlechter und sexuellen Ausrichtungen eine ganz entscheidende Rolle spielen. Wie sollte die Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik denn auch sonst klarkommen, es ist ja selbstverständlich. Außerdem betont dieser Bericht, dass wir eine feministische Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik brauchen. Außerdem ist natürlich ganz wichtig, dass wir eine geschlechterspezifische Asyl- und Migrationspolitik fahren.

Und selbstverständlich stellen wir uns auch wieder dem Endgegner – dem Klimawandel. Wir lernen, dass der Klimawandel besonders frauenfeindlich ist, denn er macht besonders Frauen und Mädchen Probleme. Wenn ich mir jetzt die Aktivistinnen von Fridays for Future ansehe, dann muss ich diesen Eindruck tatsächlich gewinnen, es sind tatsächlich viele Mädchen aktiv, die in der Regel aus sehr gutem Haus kommen, die reich sind, wie zum Beispiel die Sprösslinge der Reedereifamilie Reemtsma.

Aber nachvollziehen kann ich das nicht. Warum gerade sind Mädchen und warum gerade sind reiche Mädchen so betroffen? Und gerade vom Klimawandel? Ich habe im Lauf meines Lebens viele Frauen kennengelernt, die allermeisten von ihnen haben es gerne warm, weil Frauen frieren. Erlauben Sie mir diesen kleinen Spaß, denn ich kann den ganzen Wahnsinn schlecht ertragen. Es geht hier einzig und allein darum, gut bezahlte Stellen zu schaffen für Frauen und für Diverse. Stellen, die die Allgemeinheit bezahlen muss, und damit muss endlich Schluss sein! Schluss mit diesem ideologischen Wahnsinn!

  Charlie Weimers, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Mr President, we used to think that sex should not be an obstacle, nor a factor, in recruitment. Not anymore. This report on gender in foreign policy obsesses over individuals’ sex. It calls for binding quotas for management positions, it references gender mainstreaming, also known as radical feminism, 24 times, and intersectional analysis, a.k.a. Balkanisation, seven times. It calls for increased funding and staff to implement gender ideology, with a full-time gender adviser in each EEAS Directorate. I suppose the title ‘political gender commissar’ was already taken.

The irony is, of course, that you can’t have your woke, gender mainstreaming cake and eat it too. What’s the point of quotas anyway if gender is a fluid concept? If you, like I do, believe that merit, not identity politics, should be at the heart of recruitment policy, then vote against this report.

  Έλενα Κουντουρά, εξ ονόματος της ομάδας GUE/NGL. – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, πρώτα απ’ όλα θέλω να ευχαριστήσω τον εισηγητή για την εξαιρετική δουλειά και τους συναδέλφους για την εξαιρετική συνεργασία. Η σημερινή ψηφοφορία επί της έκθεσης αυτής για την προώθηση της ισότητας των φύλων στην εξωτερική πολιτική και την πολιτική ασφάλειας της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης συμπίπτει με την 20ή επέτειο της ιστορικής υιοθέτησης του ψηφίσματος 1325 των Ηνωμένων Εθνών για τις γυναίκες, την ειρήνη και την ασφάλεια. Είκοσι χρόνια μετά, παρά την πρόοδο που έχει επιτευχθεί, οι γυναίκες εξακολουθούν να υφίστανται σημαντικές ανισότητες και αδικίες. Συνεχίζουν να υποεκπροσωπούνται στην εξωτερική πολιτική, ιδιαίτερα στις θέσεις ευθύνης και στα κέντρα λήψης αποφάσεων, και αποδυναμώνεται έτσι η ικανότητά μας να εξασφαλίσουμε βιώσιμη ειρήνη και να οικοδομήσουμε ανθεκτικότερες κοινωνίες.

Αυτή η προοδευτική έκθεση θα είναι η απάντηση που δίνουμε ως Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο για την προώθηση της ισότητας στην ευρωπαϊκή εξωτερική πολιτική, ενισχύοντας την ίση εκπροσώπηση, την προάσπιση των δικαιωμάτων των γυναικών και την εξασφάλιση επαρκών χρηματοδοτικών πόρων γι’ αυτόν τον σκοπό. Ενσωματώνοντας τη διάσταση του φύλου στη μεταναστευτική και εμπορική πολιτική της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, καταπολεμώντας το trafficking, που πλήττει ιδιαίτερα τις γυναίκες και τα παιδιά, διασφαλίζοντας τη διαρκή συνεργασία και την πραγματική στήριξη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης σε οργανώσεις γυναικών και υπερασπιστές ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων, υποστηρίζοντας ενεργά τη σεξουαλική και αναπαραγωγική υγεία σε τρίτες χώρες, προωθώντας την ενεργή συμμετοχή των γυναικών στις ειρηνευτικές διαδικασίες και βελτιώνοντας το πλαίσιο στήριξης των γυναικών στο νέο σχέδιο δράσης για την ισότητα GAP III. Για εμάς αυτά δεν αποτελούν απλώς ζητήματα δικαιοσύνης, αλλά καθοριστικούς παράγοντες για έναν κόσμο με περισσότερη ασφάλεια, αλληλεγγύη και δημοκρατία.

  Pernille Weiss (PPE). – Mr President, ‘what people have the capacity to choose, they have the ability to change.’

Sådan har USA’s tidligere udenrigsminister Madeleine Albright sagt. Det er faktisk rigtig tydeligt at høre, at hun er europæer. Sådan kan vi derfor også, i Europa-Parlamentet, vælge at gøre det, vi ikke kan eller ikke må acceptere, at andre skal acceptere. Derfor stemmer EPP naturligvis for, at EU skal steppe op for mere fokus på ligestilling i vores udenrigs- og sikkerhedspolitik. I vores egne institutioner og ikke mindst i måden, vi engagerer os i verden på.

Derfor har jeg som skyggeordfører lagt vægt på de værktøjer, der virker og skaber forandring. For mig, og for EPP, er viljen til og kravet om ligestilling naturligt og ufravigeligt. Det er hævet over køn og mange andre mere eller mindre moderne identitetskategorier og politisk korrekt sprogbrug. Derfor er det egentlig også forkert, at en ligestillingsorienteret sikkerheds- og udenrigspolitik måske i fremtiden skal kaldes "feministisk". Lige præcis den del af betænkningen, som vi skal stemme om, er jeg ikke enig i, men jeg vil dog gerne kvittere varmt for et anerkendende og konstruktivt samarbejde med ordfører Urtasun. Vi er blevet enige om det meste, og resten lever vi med i respekt for den demokratiske kultur, som vi netop gerne vil udtrykke tydeligere gennem EU's fremtidige forsvars- og sikkerhedspolitik. Nemlig, at uanset køn og alt muligt andet, så gælder reglen: lige adgang, lige muligheder, lige rettigheder og lige behandling. Og må jeg ikke have lov at slutte med, at Madeleine Albrigt også har sagt og er mest kendt for at sige:

‘there is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women’.

Jeg skal ikke stå her og true af nogen som helst, heller ikke af mændene, men jeg håber, at alle stemmer for betænkningen.

  Robert Biedroń (S&D). – Mr President, since this great report stresses that EU foreign and security policy is dominated by men, it’s crucial to engage them – us – in gender equality activities. Boys and men have a special role to play in promoting the empowerment of girls and women. Why? Because we men still – unfairly, of course – keep the power and so hold the key to solving the problem. Achieving gender equality is not possible without the inclusion and active involvement of men and boys in the process of making progress on gender equality. Men and boys must be invited to participate and contribute actively in promoting health and gender norms. Some might ask ‘why?’ Because besides bringing equality, it improves the health of families and economic well-being.

Let me stress the words my colleague Madeleine Albright just said (and I paraphrase): there is a special place in hell for men who don’t help women.

ΠΡΟΕΔΡΙΑ: ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ ΠΑΠΑΔΗΜΟΥΛΗΣ
Αντιπρόεδρος

  Virginie Joron (ID). – Monsieur le Président, tout d’abord, je souhaitais féliciter le personnel de Strasbourg et de Bruxelles qui a pu organiser dans de parfaites conditions une plénière à distance.

Monsieur le Président, mes chers collègues, je voudrais commencer par rendre hommage à Samuel Paty, décapité parce qu’il voulait enseigner la liberté d’expression, en 2020, en France. Le meilleur hommage que nous puissions rendre à lui et à tous ceux qui sont morts de terrorisme islamiste, c’est de combattre et d’éradiquer l’islamisme.

Le débat d’aujourd’hui porte sur l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes dans la politique étrangère de l’Union européenne. L’Union européenne étant si désireuse de toujours montrer l’exemple, il est légitime de se demander quel exemple l’Europe et la France donnent réellement au reste du monde. Est-ce avec Axelle, percutée et traînée sur 800 mètres par un jeune alors qu’elle promenait son chien? Est-ce avec Mya, rouée de coups par trois jeunes? Avec C., 15 ans, violée, étranglée et brûlée par un violeur multirécidiviste alors qu’elle allait chercher un colis? Ou encore Mila, harcelée et menacée de mort? Ces barbaries prennent de l’ampleur au même rythme que l’arrivée de migrants à Lesbos ou à Lampedusa. Tout aussi nombreux sont les mariages forcés ou précoces, l’excision et les certificats de virginité pour les femmes. Des pratiques obscures arrivées récemment avec ces vagues migratoires qui se fichent pas mal de vos rapports de 40 pages sur l’égalité pour accéder à des conseils d’administration.

Au lieu de laisser l’Union européenne s’impliquer dans les questions de politique étrangère, je pense que l’Europe doit d’abord mettre de l’ordre dans sa propre maison et protéger toutes ses filles avant de vouloir imposer son idéologie égalitariste à l’autre bout du monde.

  Margarita de la Pisa Carrión (ECR). – Señor presidente, la ideología de género supone un asalto a la cordura, un virus que pretende meterse en todos los ámbitos, infectando las leyes y las instituciones, desconfigurando la propia realidad y creando una cultura victimista sin sentido ni esperanza, como ocurre en este informe, que mezcla temas muy importantes y serios, como aspectos que afectan a los derechos humanos —la trata de esclavas sexuales, la mutilación genital femenina, el matrimonio de niñas—, con teorías de género al servicio de otros intereses de poder, manipulando las conciencias, y se presenta como un lobo con piel de cordero.

De esta manera, en vez de inspirar, exportamos fuera de nuestras fronteras filosofías y modelos que enfrentan y polarizan las relaciones entre hombres y mujeres, provocando conflicto, odio y resentimiento. Solo ofrecemos el aborto como fuente de progreso.

Deseamos que nuestra política exterior y de seguridad sea reflejo de los principios y valores que dieron origen al proyecto europeo, sin caer en falsas teorías de moda que nublan la conciencia humana, impidiendo a una cultura liberar su mejor expresión.

  Πρόεδρος. – Όπως βλέπετε, συνεχίζεται με πολύ μεγάλη επιτυχία η καινοτομία αυτής της ολομέλειας: να υπάρχει το δικαίωμα των συναδέλφων να μιλούν εξ αποστάσεως. Νομίζω ότι αυτό πρέπει να το πιστώσουμε στο Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο, που συνδυάζει την ασφάλεια στο πλαίσιο της πανδημίας με την ομαλή λειτουργία του θεσμού της κοινοβουλευτικής δημοκρατίας που λέγεται Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο.

  Lina Gálvez Muñoz (S&D). – Señor presidente, la importancia de este informe sobre la igualdad de género en la política exterior y de seguridad de la Unión Europea, por el que felicito a Ernest Urtasun, radica principalmente en tres cuestiones.

Primera, se sigue manteniendo una infrarrepresentación de mujeres en los puestos de representación y de gestión de la política exterior comunitaria.

Segunda, la socialización diferenciada, la vinculación histórica del movimiento feminista con el movimiento pacifista ha hecho siempre que la participación de las mujeres en la resolución de conflictos haya estado más vinculada a la vida, más vinculada a la paz. Por tanto, es necesaria esa visión diferenciada.

Y tercera, porque esos conflictos nos afectan de manera desigual a las mujeres, y es necesario que se oiga nuestra voz.

Este día coincide con el 20 aniversario de la Resolución 1325 de las Naciones Unidas sobre mujeres, paz y seguridad. Y veinte años después, si miramos a lo que está ocurriendo en Bielorrusia, constatamos que las mujeres seguimos afrontando la resolución de los conflictos de una manera diferenciada, muchísimo más pacifista, encarnando los valores de democracia y concordia que queremos que sigan siendo los valores que representan a la Unión Europea.

Por tanto, es muy necesario que avancemos precisamente en la inclusión de la igualdad de género en nuestra política exterior.

  Elżbieta Kruk (ECR). – Panie Przewodniczący! Deklarowanym celem niniejszego sprawozdania jest zwiększenie udziału kobiet w europejskiej polityce zagranicznej, która – przypominam – jest i powinna być kompetencją państw członkowskich.

Analiza treści sprawozdania wskazuje, że jest ono w istocie wyrazem ideologii nieustannego dzielenia ludzi, która nakazuje szeregowanie ich według kryteriów płciowych, rasowych i, Bóg raczy wiedzieć, jakich jeszcze.

Stosuje się tu tzw. dyskryminację pozytywną wymyśloną na potrzeby lewackiego feminizmu i nakazującą faworyzowanie jednej płci kosztem drugiej. Tymczasem już samo deklarowanie, że jakąś rolę odgrywa kryterium płci jest dyskryminacją w czystej postaci.

A istotne jest po prostu, by wszystkie osoby miały te same szanse. Kompetentne osoby powinny znajdować się we właściwym miejscu ze względu na swoje predyspozycje. Należy zwrócić uwagę, iż faworyzowanie danej grupy nie tylko obniża stopień motywacji, ale też umniejsza jej wartość i kłóci się z elementarnym poczuciem równości i sprawiedliwości.

Myślę, że ta udawana troska o kobiety ma zakryć fakt, że wszystkie te starania o równouprawnienie są tylko grą o władzę, którą lewica uprawia na zasadzie „dziel i rządź”.

  Vladimír Bilčík (PPE). – Vážený pán predsedajúci, dnes máme diskusiu o zahraničnej politike a treba povedať, že postavenie žien v zahraničnej politike v európskych inštitúciách je vcelku úspešným príbehom. Áno, vždy je čo zlepšovať, ale aj v samotnom Európskom parlamente zohrávajú v našich vonkajších vzťahoch silnú úlohu ženy vo vedení delegácií či samotného Parlamentu.

Problém rodovej rovnosti v európskej zahraničnej politike je inde. Vo viacerých členských krajinách vrátane regiónu strednej Európy a mojej vlastnej krajiny, Slovenska. Ak chceme skutočne meniť postavenie žien v európskej zahraničnej politike, zmeny musia prísť hlavne v tých častiach Európy, kde rodová rovnosť zďaleka nefunguje tak ako v bruselských inštitúciách. V zahraničnej politike potrebujeme silné vzory, ktoré budú motivovať v práci na rodovej rovnosti.

Kedy ste naposledy počuli o šéfke diplomacie v krajinách Vyšehradskej štvorky? Ak vás žiadne meno nenapadá, nie je to náhoda. O to viac dnes dievčatá a mladé ženy v strednej Európe môže motivovať úspešný príbeh slovenskej prezidentky Zuzany Čaputovej.

Úspešná rodová rovnosť však nemôže stáť len na inšpiratívnych príbehoch a priaznivých okolnostiach. Je a musí byť o praktických opatreniach, ktoré podporia fungovanie rodinného života či predškolskú starostlivosť o deti tak, aby generácia mojej dcéry mala rovnocennú nádej postaviť sa na čelo diplomacie v strednej Európe, aby debata o rodovej rovnosti v európskej zahraničnej politike mala silný praktický základ naprieč členskými krajinami.

  Heléne Fritzon (S&D). – Herr talman! Tack, kommissionär Urpilainen, för en väldigt progressiv inledning. 2020 skulle bli ett superår för jämställdheten. Det är 25 år sedan Pekingdeklarationen och det är 20 år sedan FN:s säkerhetsråd antog resolutionen om kvinnor och säkerhet. Men i stället för ett starkt år för jämställdheten så har vi fått en pandemi som flyttar fokus, samtidigt som kvinnors och flickors mänskliga rättigheter påverkas hårt. Det gäller inte minst tillgången till sexuell och reproduktiv hälsa och rättigheter.

Det är hög tid att vi ställer om. EU behöver säkerställa ett jämställdhetsperspektiv på alla områden. Jag vill se ett slut på diskrimineringen av kvinnor och flickor världen över. Mitt land, Sverige, och min regering har haft en feministisk utrikespolitik sedan 2014 och nu, nu är det EU:s tur.

  Antonius Manders (PPE). – Voorzitter, gelijke behandeling begint bij jezelf. Dat heeft te maken met de vrijheid die wij hebben in onze cultuur en met opvoeding en beschaving. Ik steun dus van harte deze resolutie en ik merk dat het nodig is dat er aandacht komt voor gelijke behandeling van mannen en vrouwen, want in de praktijk blijkt dat er buiten Europa, maar ook nog binnen Europa nog steeds geen gelijke behandeling is.

Ik roep iedereen op die discriminatie van vrouwen of mannen of welke andere discriminatie ook constateert, die ook direct te melden bij de verantwoordelijke organisaties. En eventueel, als die organisaties niet willen optreden, aan de media, om voldoende druk te creëren om die discriminatie op te heffen.

In dit geval wil ik aandacht vragen voor een vorm van discriminatie die ik heb geconstateerd bij een van de grootste organisaties van de wellicht grootste bijzaak van deze wereld, namelijk voetbal, de UEFA en de FIFA. Als ik Champions Leaguevoetbalwedstrijden zie, dan zie ik de Europese vlag. Vervolgens kijk ik in het reglement van de FIFA. En daar wordt gewoon knalhard het vrouwenvoetbal gediscrimineerd! Het staat letterlijk in artikel 20 van dat reglement. Ik heb de FIFA daarop aangeschreven. En wat blijkt? Ze geven antwoord en zeggen: meneer Manders, wij weten dat. Zij zeggen dus letterlijk: wij weten dat en we hebben een studiegroep ingericht om te kijken of we het moeten veranderen en om te zien of het ten gunste is van het vrouwenvoetbal dat we die discriminatie opheffen!

Ik roep de Commissie en alle leden op om hier iets aan te doen. Schrijf alsjeblieft een brief naar de FIFA dat ze artikel 20 aanpassen!

  Tanja Fajon (S&D). – Spoštovani predsednik! Danes govorimo o ženskah, o njihovi nepogrešljivi vlogi pri reševanjih sporov in gradnji miru. Razprava je zelo pomembna, da okrepimo enakost spolov v zunanji politiki, tudi v odzivanju na epidemijo s koronavirusom.

Po svetu so ženske in deklice najbolj izpostavljene nasilju, zato mora Evropska unija narediti bistveno več. Pozivamo visokega predstavnika Unije, da vložimo več finančnih sredstev, da spodbujamo usposabljanje žensk, da se bodo v večji meri vključile v humanitarne situacije.

Spol ne sme biti ovira. Ženske in deklice so namreč na kriznih območjih pogosto izpostavljene spolnemu nasilju, ki se uporablja tudi kot vojaška taktika. Ženske ne smejo biti več žrtve, mir traja veliko dlje, če so v mirovna pogajanja vključene tudi ženske. Danes pa jih sodeluje manj kot 10 %.

Zagotovimo pariteto, zagotovimo jim pogoje, če smo res zagovorniki ženskih pravic v Evropi.

Želimo zavezujoče ukrepe, letos obeležujemo obletnico iz Pekinga in resolucije Združenih narodov o pravicah žensk.

  Željana Zovko (PPE). – Mr President, women remain largely unrepresented and undervalued in politics and the decision—making process in the EU and beyond. Nonetheless, the European Union has committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to promote and achieve gender equality. This also counts for our foreign and security policy.

Aside from the aspect of equal representation, women’s participation also has an added value. Studies show that our contribution to peace negotiations has led to long—lasting peace agreements and improved human security. We can see some progress as almost all EU delegations have carried out a detailed gender analysis and the number of women deployed to security and defence missions and operations has increased, but we are still far from reaching a real balance.

As the PPE shadow rapporteur for the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) opinion to this report, I welcome the guidelines on gender mainstreaming for EU civilian missions and call to extend this concept to all other relevant missions, departments and delegations related to our foreign policy. Only in this way can we fully promote recognition of the significant role women play at the local, national and international levels.

To conclude, I would like to call on the High Representative and the Commission to intensify their actions to reach our ambition of a gender balance by the end of the mandate. Gender mainstreaming requires not only high—level policy statements but also a real political commitment.

  Jutta Urpilainen, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, I want to thank Members for this very, very good and interesting discussion. Women’s meaningful participation in all matters related to foreign and security policy has a wider relevance to the central role of the European Union in contributing to efforts to achieve peace, security and sustainable development. The action plan will enable us to walk that talk by putting resources where our priorities are, including by reiterating our commitment that 85% of all new EU actions promote gender equality as a significant or principal objective. I would also like to re-confirm that the Commission and the External Action Service attach great importance to ensuring equal opportunities and diversity of staff in management positions and we are already taking concrete steps to this end.

Within the Commission, the gender equality strategy adopted earlier this year gives concrete steps to reach 50-50 equal gender balance in management positions at the Commission. At the External Action Service, the work is jointly done with the Member States as, by nominating one third of the staff, they have a direct contribution to our objective. Today, men hold 66% of middle management positions and 74% of senior management posts, while almost 27% of the heads of delegations are women.

Although this is an improvement, I fully agree with the Members on the need to further promote gender balance in the EU’s external representation and reach full equality. This will be addressed as part of the Gender Action Plan (GAP) III, and work is already ongoing to work towards a similar target as for the Commission.

Mr President, putting women and young people in the driving seat of the recovery: I strongly believe this will be the most effective way to collectively respond to the global challenges that we are facing worldwide at this very critical moment of our human history.

(Applause)

  Ernest Urtasun, rapporteur. – Mr President, I would like to start by thanking everybody who contributed to our debate. I think that the debate showed that there is a broad majority in Parliament behind what we are going to adopt tomorrow, and this is extremely good news.

I would also like to thank the Commissioner for her words and for being with us. Hannah Neumann and I liked a lot her mention that she wants to build a gender—responsive and geopolitical Commission. We liked that approach a lot. I think this is one of the good conclusions of our debates.

But I think in general that we are all worried about the backlash on women’s rights that is happening all around the world, and that is really something that needs to be an additional motivation for us, to push for this feminist foreign policy that we all want.

Three things before I come to an end.

Firstly, as you mentioned, Madam Commissioner, I think that the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) Regulation is going to be an important tool to achieve gender equality and an important instrument for us. I hope that in the negotiations the targets on gender equality will remain as high as proposed. This is one of the key issues in the coming months.

Secondly, I think it’s important to say that the commitment to improve the presence of women both in the EEAS, in the Commission, and in our delegations is an important target.

I would like to remind the House that the High Representative has committed to the 40% target of EU heads of delegation by the end of the term. I think that it should be a joint goal to achieve that, and so I’m very much looking for the actions that that you will be undertaking and, of course, we will be very attentive to the presentation of GAP III in November, which is going to be the most important tool that we will have to achieve all of these goals.

So, all in all, I just want to conclude by thanking everybody, thanking the Commissioner. Let’s make a gender—responsive Commission and gender—responsive EU foreign and security policy a reality.

  Πρόεδρος. – Η συζήτηση έληξε.

Η ψηφοφορία επί των τροπολογιών θα διεξαχθεί σήμερα, 22 Οκτωβρίου 2020, και η τελική ψηφοφορία θα διεξαχθεί αύριο, 23 Οκτωβρίου 2020.