Lisbon has the potential to improve women's lives
Issued : Thursday 17 September, 2009
Statement by Proinsias De Rossa
Speaking at a National Women's Council of Ireland meeting in the Mansion House Dublin on the Lisbon Treaty this morning, Dublin Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa said the treaty contained a number of specific measures that had the potential to improve women's lives.
Mr De Rossa said: "Gender equality has been a key principle of the EU ever since the Treaty of Rome in 1957 and Europe has adopted at least 13 laws on gender equality to ensure equal treatment in the workplace, in relation to social welfare and guaranteed rights to maternity leave.
“Women have been among the major beneficiaries of Ireland's membership of the EU to-date. Irish Governments have often been forced kicking and screaming by Europe to introduce European directives that have transformed the lives of Irish women since we joined the EEC in 1973.
“Some of the key reforms envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty have the potential to bring further improvements to women's lives.
“First, the new 'statement of common values' includes equality between women and men as one of the EU's core values (Art.2, TEU).
“Second, the new 'statement of aims' include the promotion of equality between women and men as a fundamental objective (Art.3, TFEU).
“Third, the new, binding, Equality Clause would provide a direct link between these values and aims by obliging the Union, in all its activities, to aim to combat inequalities and to promote equality between men and women (Art.8, TFEU). The new, binding Anti-Discrimination clause would introduce a general obligation on the Union to aim to combat discrimination on the grounds of sex in all its policies and activities (Art. 10, TFEU).
“Fourth, Lisbon puts Europe in a better position to adopt measures against human trafficking, 'in particular the trafficking of women and children' (Art.79, TFEU), and the sexual exploitation of children (Art.83, TFEU.
“Fifth, Lisbon would make the Charter of Fundamental Rights part of the primary law of the European Union. The Charter includes the rights to respect for a person's physical and mental integrity (Art.3); to security of the person (Art.6); to non-discrimination on the grounds of sex (Art.21); and to equality between women and men (Art.23), amongst others;
“Sixth, by including the first ever reference to domestic violence in a European treaty (Declaration 19), Lisbon gives new emphasis to the campaigns against domestic violence at both European and national levels.
"Seventh, the concerns expressed by some women during last year's referendum, such as on conscription and militarisation, have been clearly addressed in the Legal Guarantees.
“Finally, the 'Women Say No to Lisbon - Again' group claim that the new provisions of the Lisbon Treaty against people trafficking would be 'severely undermined' given Ireland's current opt-out from this area of EU policy (Statement, 14 September).
“To make this claim as a justification to vote No to Lisbon shows an appalling isolationism and a depressing lack of solidarity with the victims of trafficking across Europe and in the wider world, who will be denied this new protection if the Lisbon Treaty is not ratified.
“The ILO estimates people trafficking is now the world's third most profitable illegal trade, after arms and drugs trafficking, while research shows that at least several hundred thousand women are trafficked into or between EU Member States annually, and 1.2 million globally.
“The new Lisbon Treaty emphasis on tackling people trafficking has the potential to achieve more effective and better action at European level against criminal gangs that traffic people and to help their victims and potential victims.
“Under an existing Treaty Protocol, Ireland has the right to opt-in to EU measures against trafficking at any time. The new Declaration 21 to the Lisbon Treaty outlines Ireland's intention to play a full part in all measures adopted in this field and to review the opt-out in three years. Surely the logical position is to vote yes to Lisbon and then campaign for Ireland to opt-in to these provisions.
"These changes brought about by the Lisbon Treaty to the way the EU would operate in the future contain the potential to achieve further improvements in women's lives in the years ahead. They deserve to be supported by a yes vote to Lisbon.”
