Application of the gender balance principle within the EGP

Last November 9, 10 and 11 the European Green Gender Observatory organised its first seminar in Barcelona, a meeting point for exchanging impressions and thoughts on issues having  to do with feminism and gender perspective on a European scale.

In the opening panel of the event, a presentation of the first results of the White paper on the participation of men and women in European Green Parties was made; it was one of the projects of the Observatory. Different talks were given thanks to which we were able to verify the current situation in each party with regards to this issue, and also the strategies set up by the different organisations to guarantee greater gender equality in their structures and decisions.  During the debate, one of the most evident phenomena was that despite the fact that the parties showed a high degree of commitment to the gender balance principle, the ways in which inequalities arise between men and women in decision-taking processes are very similar, both in Nordic and in Central-European or Mediterranean countries. But also it showed that the different organisations were not at the same level of awareness. For this reason, the exchange of practices, of the strategies that have been set up by the parties is of great use for the future work of each national organisation.  It does seem necessary though to agree on some sort of common guideline, and we all agreed that the EGP had a very important part to play.

Following this seminar, a resolution will be drafted to ask the European Green Party to adopt the formal mechanisms that will guarantee equal participation by men and women inside the party itself. This decision is a first step towards enforcing the most important conclusion drawn at the seminar, that of placing a subject that is already on the national agendas of the parties on the political agenda of the European Green Party. Although it is true that gender issues are present “in the climate” of the European Green Party, they must be formalised to ensure they occupy the place they deserve. The European Green Party must lead the change in order to ensure gender equality and empower women in Europe. 

For all these reasons, we ask to the EGP:

To initiate an internal debate, lead by the EGP Gender Working Group, with the support of the European Green Gender Observatory (EGGO). This must culminate in a report with the main conclusions and a battery of proposals for an effective application of the principle of Gender Balance in the European Green Party.

One committee member will follow the discussion and will be the link between the working group and the Committee.

This report has to be presented at the next Council Meeting.