COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 27 March 1995

on the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making

(95/C 168/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Whereas, in its third medium-term action programme on equal opportunities for men and women (1991 to 1995), the Commission undertook to develop Community action in a new key area concerning the participation of women in the decision-making process at every level of society, in order to improve the status of women in society;

Whereas the Council confirmed its support for the overall objective of this third action programme in its resolution of 21 May 1991 (1): it invited the Member States to 'encourage measures designed to promote the participation of women in the decision-making process in public, economic and social life`;

Whereas the Council invited both sides of industry to 'take all necessary measures actively to promote women's representation in decision-making bodies`;

Whereas, in its resolution of 11 February 1994 on women in decision-making bodies, the European Parliament invited the Member States to undertake specific action in this area;

Whereas the European Conference of Women Ministers from the Member States of the Council of Europe (Brussels, 7 March 1994) proclaimed, in its declaration of principle, its determination to bring about genuine equality between men and women in the Europe of tomorrow;

Whereas the first European Conference on Women in Power (Athens, 2 and 3 November 1992) in particular highlighted the fact that the under-representation of women in decision-making prevents full account being taken of the interests and needs of the population as a whole,

1. AFFIRMS THAT:

(a) the objective of balanced participation of men and women in decision-making and the sharing of responsibilities between men and women in every sphere of life constitutes an important condition for equality between men and women;

(b) it is necessary to make every effort to bring about the changes in structures and attitudes which are essential for genuine equality of access to decision-making posts for men and women in the political, economic, social and cultural fields;

2. INVITES the Member States to:

(a) promote the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making as a priority objective in the context of their respective practices regarding equal opportunities for men and women and to adopt this objective as such in their governments' programmes;

(b) develop an integrated global strategy for promoting the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making which spans the broad range of the following measures and takes into account the options and best methods applied in the various Member States;

(i) regularly compiling and publishing a report containing figures on the participation of women in decision-making posts in the political, economic, social and cultural fields, in order to acquire accurate knowledge of the factual situation and to promote awareness;

(ii) developing incentives and support measures for non-governmental organizations in general and in particular for groups who are actively committed in the field to this objective;

(iii) developing support for scientific research in this area so as to permit the development of new ideas and concepts;

(iv) devising, launching and promoting information and awareness campaigns at regular intervals, designed to fuel public debate and to develop more progressive outlooks as regards both the general public and specific target groups;

(v) instigating and accompanying initiatives, setting examples and opening up the way in practice in the various areas of decision-making and thereafter developing programmes designed to generalize effective action;

(vi) developing an appropriate framework, where necessary encompassing specific measures, and encouraging the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making in the political, economic, social and cultural fields;

3. CALLS UPON the institutions and bodies of the European Communities:

(a) to implement measures, in their capacity as employers and on the basis of a review, promoting the balanced recruitment of men and women and, inter alia, by promotion and training actions, enabling balanced participation in decision-making duties to be achieved;

(b) to evaluate the results thereof periodically and have them published;

4. CALLS UPON the Commission:

(a) to step up its information and awareness effort and its efforts to promote research and to introduce pilot schemes to implement the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making;

(b) - to take account of this resolution in its fourth action programme on equal opportunities for men and women;

- to draw up, taking account of that fourth action programme, a draft recommendation to be submitted to the Council aimed at promoting the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making;

(c) to ensure that the Member States are kept informed regularly on progress made in this area;

5. CALLS UPON both sides of industry to step up their efforts to ensure the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making bodies;

6. RECALLS the discussions held and the initiatives taken within the Council in the past on the topics dealt with in this resolution;

7. UNDERTAKES TO conduct regular discussions on the topics covered by this resolution.

(1) OJ No C 142, 31. 5. 1991, p. 1.