Debate: Women in politics – combatting online abuse
Date: WEDNESDAY, 9 JUNE 2021
Speaker: Ana Paula Zacarias
Language: EN

As the Council has often noted, women continue to be seriously under—represented in decision—making, including in politics and business. The situation is improving, but much too slowly. Meanwhile, gender—based violence remains a grim reality for millions of European women and girls – a severe manifestation of gender inequality. It is also a human rights violation and a cause of suffering. In your resolution on the Commission’s gender equality strategy adopted in January this year, you rightly pointed out that cyberviolence disproportionately affects women and girls. Its manifestation ranges from online harassment and cyberbullying to sexist hate speech. Your resolution also stresses that cyberviolence particularly affects activists, women politicians and other public figures. In this strategy, the Commission has wisely undertaken to address this problem in the context of the digital policy.  Sadly enough, there is a close link between women’s under—representation in decision—making, on the one hand, and the violence that they experience on the other. Because it is brutally disempowering, intimidating and damaging, violence is not just a symptom, but also a perpetuating cause of inequality. The experience of online abuse undermines the role and the capacities of decision—makers and that is, of course, precisely the intentions of the perpetrators. Meanwhile, the risk of online abuse is likely to discourage people from becoming decision—makers in the first place and this chilling effect is an affront to democracy.  We must address all obstacles that discourage women from participating in political life, all forms of gender—based violence, including cyberviolence, must be combated with total determination. Freedom of speech gives no one the right to abuse others. As you will know, the proposal for a digital services act is currently under examination by the Council as a matter of priority. The regulation will, once adopted, make it easier to intervene against illegal online abuse and violence across the internal borders of the Union. Although the definition of what is illegal will in general remain a national competence, the harmonisation of the injunctions to service providers will, for example, make it easier to request that illegal content is removed from the internet.  I am proud to say that the European Parliament and the Council are long—standing allies in the battle for gender equality, including the campaign for more equal decision—making. The Council has called on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen their commitment to the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment, and it has specifically called for measures to improve gender balance on decision—making across the board – in politics, to be sure, but also in the economy and within the EU institutions.  The post—pandemic recovery policies will be with us for years to come, including in the context of the digital transition, and in this area equal participation in political decision—making is particularly crucial. We need female politicians’ voices and perspectives in order to ensure gender—responsive policies and a fair and sustainable recovery.  The Council has also called for measures to increase the representation of women in decision—making in areas such as academia, science, research institutions, the media and sports, and we have also called for a renewed commitment to eliminating gender—based violence, including on cyberviolence. Thank you very much for your attention.