WRITTEN QUESTION E-0583/02 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. Gender mainstreaming.
Date: 2002-03-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: action programme, budget, cooperation policy, developing countries, development aid, gender equality

C 92 E/16

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

17.4.2003

Respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law are essential elements of the
4.
Cotonou Agreement which links the Union with Sudan. Although observance of fundamental rights is not
a precondition for diplomatic relations, it is a condition for cooperation.

(2003/C 92 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0583/02

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(5 March 2002)

Subject: Gender mainstreaming

What progress has the Commission made in the implementation of the 2001 Programme of Action for the
Mainstreaming of Gender Equality in Community Development Cooperation?

In particular, what progress has been made on the following issues, which were identified in the
Commission’s workplan and which were scheduled to be completed in 2001:

(cid:1) a review of the policy guidelines according to the situation of women and men in each of the EC’s

priority areas;

(cid:1) the integration of a gender dimension in the preparation and evaluation of Poverty Reduction Strategy
Papers, Country Strategy Papers, the Commission’s annual work programme and all performance
reviews;

(cid:1) an improvement in the attention which is given to gender during the entire project cycle in order to
identify problems, define target groups and beneficiaries, set objectives, formulate indicators and
improve monitoring?

Would the Commission give precise details of the resources (cid:1) both human and financial (cid:1) which have
been made available in order to implement the remaining goals and activities of the Programme of Action
on Gender Mainstreaming?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2002)

In regard to the implementation of the Programme of Action for the mainstreaming of gender equality in
Community Development Co-operation, the following activities have been completed:

The budget line B7-6220 for 2001 was programmed including budgets for training and capacity building
for the Commission staff in 2001 and 2002 of EUR 2,2 million.

A review of 40 country strategy papers (CSPs) was undertaken in order to assess to which extent
mainstreaming of gender equality in development co-operation has been taken into account in the
programming process. The 40 CSPs were selected randomly, the majority however from the African,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)-partner countries.

The manual for the Project Cycle Management has been revised notably taking account of mainstreaming
gender equality. Stakeholder analysis has been introduced and gender equality is now considered a quality
criteria throughout the project cycle.

The thematic evaluation of gender requested by the Board of EuropeAid has just been launched. The
Evaluation is designed primarily to provide Commission staff with tools to improve the ‘integration of
gender in the Commission’s external programmes and policies’. The request for the Evaluation is based on
Council Regulation (EC) No 2836/98 of 22 December 1998 on integrating gender issues in development
co-operation (1) (article 11) and covers the years 1995-2001.

17.4.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 92 E/17

The Commission participated last year in the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) working group on
gender and actively profited from the possibilities it offers for networking.

The Commission interacts regularly with Brussels based civil society groups dealing with trade and gender
and gender policy development.

The Commission is aware of the need to allocate adequate human resources in terms of quantity, capacity
and continuity to achieve timely and effective implementation of the Programme of Action. One measure,
that
is building internal capacity and establish tools and methods for
mainstreaming of gender equality in the six priority areas of the Community Development Policy.

is already decided upon,

(1) OJ L 354, 30.12.1998.

(2003/C 92 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0659/02

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 March 2002)

Subject: Cooperation agreement with Pakistan

Will the Commission ensure that the following five points are included in its cooperation agreement with
Pakistan? If not, why not?

To repeal the blasphemy laws and any laws which discriminate against others on the grounds of

1.
their religion.

For the Government of Pakistan to support minority rights, end the persecution of religious

2.
minorities such as Christians and ensure that there is religious freedom.

For Pakistan to become a secular state (this would contribute to the improvement of the situation for

3.
non-Muslims in Pakistan such as Christians and Hindus).

4.
For the Government of Pakistan to curb the power and influence of the Madrasas (cid:1) i.e. the Islamic
religious schools which have been a breeding ground for Muslim militancy in Pakistan, and of which
several have also been supportive of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

5.
For the Government of Pakistan to reaffirm its commitment to the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2002)

As the Community/Pakistan (EC/PAK) co-operation Agreement is already signed, the text of the Agreement
cannot be changed at this stage. However, the entry into force of this Agreement, offers the possibility to
re-establish the full co-operation dialogue with Pakistan, including on sensitive human rights issues. The
new Agreement contains a clause (Article 1) in which both sides affirm that respect for human rights and
democratic principles constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.

On the points raised in the Honourable Member’s written question, the Commission would like to
comment as follows:

1. The Commission remains concerned about the application of the blasphemy law, as a dispropor-
tionate number of cases have been brought against religious minorities. The blasphemy law has been
raised by the Union with the authorities on a number of occasions. At a human rights conference