Rights of Women and Gays
- March 4th, 2007
- Posted by 7thmin
Europe signals its commitments on discrimination and equality.
Recent demands by a Polish government Minister for a Europe-wide ban on both abortion and “homosexual propaganda” provoked an indirect dressing down this week (2.3.07).
A European Commission spokesperson pointed out to over one hundred journalists at Brussels that authority on the abortion question rested with national governments – so there could be no continental law on it.
As for “homosexual propaganda”, “fundamental human rights” were sanctioned in the founding Treaty of the European Union, and included freedom from discrimination based on such characteristics as race, faith, gender or sexual orientation.
The European Union was committed to very strongly defending these rights within its whole field of competence, and it upheld principles of equality, marking 2007 as a Year of Equality.
In the meantime five of the eight women members of the European Commission (out of 27) were preparing for a celebration on the eve of International Women’s day, 8th March.
European Commissioners being among the most senior executives in the EU, the seminar and reception were given to the topic of women in policy making.
The leading participants were Commissioners Neelie Kroes, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Danuta Hubner, Viviane Reding and Meglena Kuneva.
Picture: Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel