E. havingregardtotheviolentactionsofIslamicfundamentalistmilitants,particularlyinthesenorthern
states,andwhereasabattalionof500soldiers,supportedbytanks,wasrequiredtosubduetheupris-ingbytheIslamicsectknownas‘FollowersoftheProphet’,whichhadtakencontrolofpolicestationsandschoolsinKanoState,
F. whereas,since1999,12northernstateswithaMuslimmajorityhaveintroducedstrictIslamicSharia
law,followedbyincreasedtensionbetweenMuslimsandChristiansandresultinginethnicandrelig-
iousviolence,includingthekillingofover10000people,
G. whereastheNigerianConstitutionadoptedin1999guaranteestotalfreedomofbelief,H. whereasareligiouslawcanonlybeappliedtothosewhoacceptit,andwhereastheEuropeanParlia-
menthasrepeatedlycondemnedthepoweroflocalcourtsunderSharialawtosentencewomentolapidation(stoningtodeath),
I. whereastheNigerianregionofKanoisoneofthelastremainingreservoirsofthewildpoliovirus,
1. Condemnsallformsofreligiousintoleranceandviolenceandmostrecentlythewidespreadkillingof
ChristiansandthedestructionofchurchesintheNigerianstateofPlateau;
2. CallsontheNigerianGovernmenttotakeimmediateandeffectivemeasurestoprotectitscitizens,
putanendtotheviolence,activelyimplementthepromotionofandrespectforhumanrightsandinparticularfreedomofreligion,andpromoteadialogueleadingtolastingpeaceandsecurityinallstates;
3. CallsontheEuropeanUniontostartimmediatelyapoliticaldialoguewiththeNigerianGovernment
topromotetoleranceandpeacebetweenthecommunities,includingthereligiousauthorities,andsecurityoftheperson,accompaniedbyrespectforhumanrights,includingrespectforreligiousbeliefs;
4. Regrets the suspension of polio vaccinations by the Kano authorities, after unfounded rumours
spread by someIslamicpreachers aboutthe vaccine, thus seriouslythreatening the progress ofpolioeradicationinAfrica;
5. InstructsitsPresidenttoforwardthisresolutiontotheCommission,theACP-EUCouncil,theCo-
PresidentsoftheACP-EUJointParliamentaryAssemblyandtheNigerianGovernment.
P5_TA(2004)0382
WomeninSouth-EastEurope
EuropeanParliamentresolutiononwomeninSouth-EastEurope(2003/2128(INI))
TheEuropeanParliament ,
/dash havingregardtoArticles6and49oftheTreatyonEuropeanUnion,
/dash havingregardtotheCharterofFundamentalRightsoftheEuropeanUnion,
/dash havingregardtotheConventionontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationagainstWomen
(CEDAW)adoptedbytheUNGeneralAssemblyin1979,
/dash havingregardtotheworkoftheViennaConferenceonHumanRights(1993),whichaffirmedhuman
rightsandcondemnedtheviolationoftheserightsinthenameofcultureortradition,C104E/1070 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Thursday22April2004
/dash havingregardtotheBrusselsDeclarationonPreventingandCombatingTraffickinginHumanBeings
adoptedon20September2002,
/dash havingregardtotheConclusionsoftheEUEuropeanCouncilinThessalonikiof19and20June2003
andtheJointDeclarationoftheEU-WesternBalkansSummitof21June2003,
/dash havingregardtotheCommission2003regularreportsonprogresstowardsaccessionbyBulgaria,
RomaniaandTurkey,
/dash havingregardtoitsresolutionof7November2002onthereportfromtheCommission:TheStabili-
sationandAssociationProcessforSouth-EastEurope:FirstAnnualReport(1),
/dash having regard to the report from the Commission:The Stabilisation and Association Process for
South-EastEurope/dashSecondannualreport(COM(2003)139),
/dash havingregardtoitsresolutionof20November2003onthatreport(2),
/dash havingregardtotheactivitiesandtheprogressreportoftheGenderTaskForceoperationalunderthe
StabilityPactforSouth-EastEurope(May2003),
/dash having regard tothe study: Women’sSituation in the Balkan Countries: comparative perspective,
undertakenbyMsMarinaBlagojevic ´onbehalfoftheEuropeanParliament(Belgrade,February2003),
/dash havingregardtoRule163ofitsRulesofProcedure,
/dash havingregardtothereportbytheCommitteeonWomen’sRightsandEqualOpportunities(A5-0182/
2004),
General
1. ConsidersitessentialforthecountriesofSouth-EastEuropetoensuretheincorporationofgender
mainstreamingintotheirstabilisation,democratisationandnegotiationstrategiesinallareasofeconomic,politicalandsociallife,aswellastheadoptionofmeasurestocombatdiscriminationagainstwomeninallfieldswithinthepublicandprivatedomains;
2. Stressestheimportanceoflegalprovisionsforgenderequalityandofensuringconditionsandmech-
anismsfortheirimplementation(institutional,financial,humanresourcesandknowledgebaseforgenderpolicy);
3. Inviewoftheimportanceofrespectinghumanrightsandminoritiesinthisvulnerableregionofthe
Balkans,callsonthecountriesoftheregionandpotentialapplicantsformembershipoftheEUtosignandratifythe1950ConventionfortheProtectionofHumanRightsandFundamentalFreedomsandthe1979UnitedNationsConventionontheEliminationofAllFormsofDiscriminationagainstWomen(CEDAW);
4. NoteswithconcernthatmanyNGOsandinternationalorganisationsreportasignificantincreasein
traffickinginhumanbeingsinSouth-EastEuropeandstressestheneedtofullyimplementthecommit-mentsgivenbytheMinistersoftheInteriorandMinistersofJusticeofthecountriesofSouth-EastEuropemeetinginSofiainDecember2003forthe4
thRegionalMinisterialForumoftheStabilityPactTaskForce
onTraffickinginHumanBeings,wherebytheyundertooktoworktogetherinestablishingandimplement-
ingspecialmechanismsandmeasurestoprotectvictimsoftrafficking;
5. Noteswithanxietythatdomesticviolenceandabusivetalkwhichdemeanswomeninthemedia
remainmattersofparticularconcerninallthecountriesofSouth-EastEurope,andthatdifferentnationalreportsshowthatthecountriesintheregionarestillatanearlystageintheorganisationoftheirstruggleagainstvariousformsofviolenceagainstwomen(rangingfromverbaltophysicalviolence)anddiscrimi-nationbasedonsex;
(1) OJC16E,22.1.2004,p.98.
(2) P5_TA(2003)0523.30.4.2004EN C104E/1071 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Thursday22April2004
6. Stressesthatreproductiveandsexualrightsareseriouslythreatened,whilethehealthofwomen,
especiallythoseinminoritygroupsandruralcommunities,hasbeenseriouslyjeopardisedbystressfulconditionsduetowarsanddifficulttransitions,the‘economyofsurvival’,whichreliesonintensiveuseofwomen’shumanresources,increasingviolenceagainstwomenandthefactthatthehealthsysteminmanycountriesintheregionhascollapsed;drawsattentiontothegenerallybadsituationofhealth-careintitutionsandinfrastructures,withdecreasingpublicinvestmentinhealthcaresystems;
7. Issatisfiedthatwomen’slifeexpectancyhasimprovedsignificantly,butdeploresthefactthatTurkey,
BulgariaandRomaniacontinuetospendthesmallestproportion(between2,9%and5%)oftheirbudgetsonexpenditureintheareaofhealthcare;
8. Aswiththeparticipationoftheapplicantcountriesinthedevelopmentofthepre-accessionstrategy,
callsontheCommissiontoencouragetheparticipationofthecountriesofSouth-EastEuropeinCom-munityprogrammestopromoteequalitybetweenwomenandmenandinparticulartheCommunityactionprogrammeson:
(a) genderequality(2001-2005),(b) combatingdiscrimination(2001-2006)and(c) preventivemeasurestofightviolenceagainstchildren,youngpersonsandwomen(Daphne);
9. NoteswithconcernthatinmostofthecountriesinSouth-EastEuropewomen’sparticipationin
politicallifeiscurrentlybelow20%,which,incomparisonwithotherregionsofEurope,representsthehighestlevelofexclusionofwomenfrompoliticaldecision-makingpositions;callsongovernmentsandpoliticalpartiestoadoptspecificmeasures(campaigns,quotas,lawsetc.)toachieveagenderbalanceindemocraticinstitutions;
10. Noteswith concern thatthe economicdecline ofthe region hasa greater negative impact on
womenthanonmenandthatthefeminisationofpovertyisgrowingrapidly;stressesthefactthatpovertyandunemployment,combinedwithastrongpatriarchaltradition,aretherootcausesofthehighlevelsofprostitutionandtraffickinginwomen,aswellasviolenceagainstwomen;
11. Stressesthatwomen’shumanresources,whicharerelativelyplentifulduetothewidespreadedu-
cation ofwomen, are under-utilised forthe economic, social and cultural developmentofthe regionbecauseofdiscriminatorypracticesandprejudices;
12. InvitesthegovernmentsofSouth-EastEurope,inthelightofincreasingreligiousfundamentalism
andthere-patriarchalisationofsocieties,toguaranteefundamentalfreedomsandrespectforhumanrights,
freedomofthoughtandfreedomofconscienceandreligion,andtoensurethattraditiondoesnoterode
personalautonomyorviolatewomen’srightsandtheprincipleofgenderequality;
13. CallsonthecountriesofSouth-EastEuropetoensurebyallappropriatemeansthateducational
materials, the media and advertising do not promote the model ofa patriarchal society that offendswomen’srightsbut,onthecontrary,helptopromoteapositiveimageofwomen,basedonrespectfortheirdignityandtheprincipleofequalitybetweenwomenandmen;
14. Takingintoaccountthehighlyimportantroleplayedbywomeninthepreventionandresolutionof
conflicts,inmaintainingrespectfordifferences,inbuildingpeaceandinbuildingbridgesincitizenaware-nessinordertocreate aclimateofreconciliation, respectfordifferences,thepeaceful coexistence ofdifferentracesandacommonvision,callsonthecountriesoftheregiontomainstreamagenderper-spectiveintonegotiationsforconflictpreventionandresolution,peacekeepingoperations,rehabilitationandreconstructionefforts;
15. Callsforsupportforregionalwomen’snetworksandcooperationwithsimilarEUnetworks;C104E/1072 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Thursday22April2004
16. Noteswithconcernthelackofstatisticalinformationandresearch-basedknowledgenecessaryfor
policymaking,monitoringandproperevaluationofthesituationofwomeninallthecountriesconcerned;suggeststheestablishmentofpermanentcontacts,throughtheCommission’sdelegations,withtherelevantlocal,nationalandinternationalinstitutionsandNGOsworkingintheregioninordertocollectallavail-ableandusefuldataonissuesrelatingtogenderandthesituationofwomen;
17. Acknowledgesandsupportstheworkofwomen’sNGOsandoftheGenderTaskForceoperating
undertheStabilisationAgreementforSouth-EastEurope,especiallyinthefieldofcombatingtraffickinginhumanbeingsandincreasingtheparticipationofwomeninpoliticalandeconomicdecision-making;
Albania
18. DeploresthefactthatAlbaniahaslongbeenidentifiedasasourceandtransitcountryfortraffick-
inginwomenandchildrenthroughwell-organisedcriminalnetworksboostedbyahighlevelofcor-ruption;callsonthegovernmentofAlbaniatoaddressmorevigorouslytheissuesofcorruptionandthesexualexploitationofwomenandchildren;
19. Stressesthatnoreliabledataexistontheissueofdomesticviolenceandsexualharassmentof
womeninAlbania,whichisattributableinparttoalackofawarenessthatviolenceagainstwomenisanabuseoftheirrights;callsonthegovernmentofAlbaniatocollectandcomprehensivelyanalyserelevantdata;
20. NoteswithanxietytherevivalofcustomarylawinNorthernAlbaniaandtheconsequentdeterio-
rationofconditionsforgirlsandyoungwomen;
Bulgaria
21. WelcomestheestablishmentoftheConsultativeCommissiononEqualOpportunitiesforwomen
andmenandtheCommissiononPreventionofDiscriminationunderthenewanti-discriminationAct,but
recallsthatBulgariaistheonlyaccessioncountrywithnoimplementationmechanismsinthefieldofgenderequality,thesebeingconditionssinequanonforthepropertranspositionoftheEU‘acquis’;
22. PointsoutthatBulgariahasthelowestlevelofemploymentbycomparisonwiththeotheraccession
countries(46,1%forwomenand55%formen);callsonitsgovernmenttoadoptpoliciesandmeasurestoeliminateincomedifferencesbetweenmenandwomenandincreasewomen’sparticipationinthelabour
market,aswellasindecision-makingandgovernance;
BosniaandHerzegovina
23. Deploresthefactthattraffickingin,andthesexualexploitationof,womenandchildrenisincreas-
ing,especiallysincethearrivalofpeace-keepingforcesinthecountry;callsonthecountrytonegotiateandconcludeassoonaspossiblethenecessaryagreementswithEuropolforpracticalandeffectiveco-operationbetweenpoliceauthorities;
24. Regretstheincreasingtoleranceofviolenceagainstwomen,whichisalsoduetotheprevalenceof
negativepatriarchaltraditionsandpractices;welcomestheeffortsmadetoadoptalawwhichwillpunishdomesticviolence;
25. CallsontheCommissiontodevelopspecificactionsandprojectstocombattraffickingin,and
violenceagainst,women,andtoinsistoninvolvinglocalwomen’sorganisationsandinitiatives;
Croatia
26. Noteswithconcernthatnationalcourtsarestillslowandinefficientinprosecutingallformsof
violenceagainstwomen,andcallsonCroatia’sgovernmenttoremedythisjudicialinefficiencyandtodulyprosecutecrimesofviolenceagainstwomen;30.4.2004EN C104E/1073 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Thursday22April2004
27. CallsonCroatiatoraiseawarenessamongstlawenforcementagenciesoftheexistenceofcriminal
gangstraffickingindrugsandhumanbeings,giventhatthelevelofsuchawarenessremainsverylowdespite the fact that, according to recent experience, Croatia is an important transit and destinationcountry;
Greece
28. Noteswithconcernthattherepresentationofwomeninelectedbodies,government,tradeunions
andpoliticalpartiesremainslowandthatitspoorrecordinthisregardplacesGreecelastamongthe25MemberStatesoftheenlargedEurope;urgestheGreekgovernment,thepoliticalpartiesandrelatedauth-oritiestoincreasetheireffortstoensureagenderbalanceinthepoliticalandeconomicdecision-makingprocess;
FYROM
29. Notesthat,inpractice,therearenoadequatemechanismsforfullimplementationoflegalprovi-
sionsongenderequality;that,whilsttheexistinglegislationisnotinitselfdiscriminatory,itdoesnot
addresstheproblemofdiscriminationinawaywhichwouldensuredirectandeffectiveprotectionofwomen;observesthatthisisduetogender-determinedstereotyping,whichisdeeplyrootedinthetradi-tionaldifferentiationbetweentherolesofthesexes;
30. Deploresthefactthatsexualabuseofgirlswithinthefamilyisnotperceivedasaproblemin
FYROMeventhoughthecentresforsocialworkindicateawidespreadoccurrenceofthistypeofviolence;
31. StressesthatthelegislationofFYROMhasnoprovisionsonthecrimeoftraffickinginwomen,
whichseriouslyhamperstheeffectiveprosecutionofthisphenomenon;callsonitsgovernmenttodraw
uplegislationandstandardsinthisfield;
Romania
32. NoteswithconcernthatRomaniaremainsseriouslyafflictedbytraffickinginhumanbeingsasa
countryoforigin,transitanddestinationdespitethe2001LawforCombatingTrafficking;notesthelackofsufficientresourceswithinthejudicialsystemandcallsontheauthoritiestoconduct,inco-operationwiththeCommissionandNGOs,moreinformationcampaignsfocusedonpreventionandonpotentialvictimsoftrafficking;
33. RegretsthatmanyethnicallymotivatedcrimesagainstRomawomenstilltakeplaceinRomania;
demandsthattheRomanianauthoritiesadoptallnecessarymeasurestopreventthesecrimesandurgestheCommissiontoinsistonthisinthenegotiationsforEUmembership;
34. Regrets thatwomenremain under-represented inpoliticallifebutover-represented in termsof
unemploymentandpoverty,especiallyamongminoritiessuchastheRomaandpersonsovertheageof45;callsontheRomaniangovernmenttomakeuseofthefinancialpossibilitiestheEUofferstoreducethenumberofunemployedwomenandtopromotefemaleemployment;
35. Pointsoutthatanumberofspecificproblemsremaintobetackledbythegovernment,suchasthe
lackofknowledgeabout,andtheunavailabilityof,contraceptives,highlevelsofdomesticviolenceagainstwomen,theplightofwomenfromminoritiesandforcedmarriagesofunderagegirls;callsontheRoman-iangovernmenttotakethemeasuresnecessarytospeeduptheprocessofcomplyingwiththebodyofexistingEuropeanlaw;
SerbiaandMontenegro
36. CondemnsthecollapseofthetrialagainsttheMontenegrodeputystateprosecutorandthreeother
menfortheirinvolvementinsexslaveryaftertheProsecutor’sOfficehaltedcriminalproceedingsdespitetheexistenceofdetailedevidenceandthetestimonyofthevictim;
37. DemandsthatthegovernmentofSerbiaandMontenegrocomplywiththeminimumstandardsfor
theeliminationofthesextradeandadoptmeasuresagainstwidespreadcorruption;C104E/1074 EN30.4.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Thursday22April2004
38. DemandsexplanationsfortheapparentincreaseintraffickinginwomensincethearrivalinKosovo
oftroopsoftheKFORandtheinvolvementofinternationalpoliceintrafficking;requeststhattheindi-vidualsinvolvedbedulyprosecutedandconvicted;
Turkey
39. Noteswithconcernthatdomesticviolenceandotherformsofviolenceagainstwomenarestill
widespread;urgesTurkeytoprovidefulllegalprotection,judicialassistanceandeconomicaidtovictims,
aswellassheltersandsimilarfacilitiesthat,atpresent,arevirtuallynon-existent;callsontheCommission
tocontinuecloselytomonitordevelopmentsinthisfield;
40. CallsonTurkeytoadoptgenderequalityaspartofthesixthreformpackageofthePenalCode/dash
Article51ofthegeneralprovisions/dashrelatingtocrimescommittedunderextremeprovocation,applicableforoffencestraditionallyviewedasbeingagainstvirtue;callsforthediscontinuationofthepracticeof
reducingsentencesincasesof‘honourcrimes’ongroundsofcustomsandtradition(Article462),taking
theviewthatsuchcrimesshouldbeconsideredasfirst-degreemurder,andforthedeletionoftheterm‘virginity’fromtheprovisionsofthePenalCoderelatingtothecrimeofrape;
41. Considersforcedmarriages/dashstillperformedinTurkey/dashasaviolationoffundamentalrightsand
aformofviolenceagainstwomen;callsuponTurkeytostrivetostopthiswidespreadpractice;
*
**
42. InstructsitsPresidenttoforwardthisresolutiontotheCouncilandtheCommission,thegovern-
mentsandtheParliamentsoftheMemberStateconcerned,thecandidatecountriesandtheSAPcountries,andtheSpecialCo-ordinatorfortheStabilityPact.
P5_TA(2004)0383
ReviewofOttawaTreatyonanti-personnelmines
EuropeanParliamentresolutiononanti-personnelmines
TheEuropeanParliament ,
/dash having regard toitsresolutionsof17December 1992ontheinjuries andlossoflifecausedby
mines(1),of29June1995onlandminesandblindinglaserweapons(2)andonanti-personnelland-
mines:amurderousimpedimenttodevelopment(3),of18December1997onthe1997Convention
ontheprohibitionanddestructionofanti-personnelmines(4),of25October2000onanti-personnel
landmines(5),of6September2001onmeasurestopromoteacommitmentbynon-Stateactorstoa
totalbanonanti-personnellandmines(6),andof13February2003ontheharmfuleffectsofunex-
plodedordnance(landminesandclustersubmunitions)anddepleteduraniumammunition(7),
(1) OJC21,25.1.1993,p.161.
(2) OJC183,17.7.1995,p.44.
(3) OJC183,17.7.1995,p.47.
(4) OJC14,19.1.1998,p.201.
(5) OJC197,12.7.2001,p.193.
(6) OJC72E,21.3.2002,p.352.
(7) OJC43E,19.2.2004,p.361.30.4.2004EN C104E/1075 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Thursday22April2004