1. Introduction
1. This report stems from the motion for a resolution
on gender equality in South East Europe
tabled
on 2 February 2011 (
Doc.
12517). The motion is based on the proposition that “[w]omen
in South-East Europe face common challenges in the field of gender
equality. To a considerable extent, this can be explained in the light
of the region’s recent history. The transition from socialism to
democracy affected the position of women in society, being accompanied
by a return to traditional values. In addition, the war contributed
to the marginalisation of women from decision making to the advantage
of men, who were considered more decisive leaders”.
2. The geographical scope of my report will include the States
of the former Yugoslavia. Moreover, with the exception of Slovenia,
which has already become a member, all these States have aspirations
to become members of or candidates to the European Union in the
not too distant future (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, “the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, Montenegro and Serbia). For over
a decade now, this region has been meeting the dual challenge of
progress towards a market economy and at the same time consolidation
of democracy.
3. Given that gender equality is one of the goals of European
Union members, I hope that these countries will find in this report
a few tools to support them in the process of accession and in the
fulfilment of their obligations as members of the Council of Europe.
4. When preparing my report, I travelled to Zagreb, Belgrade
and Sarajevo in February and September 2012 to make three fact-finding
visits. I wish to thank the authorities in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia
and Herzegovina for organising these visits and everyone I spoke
to for helping me to collect numerous relevant facts and items of
information.
2. Gender
equality policies and legal instruments
2.1. Croatia
5. Croatia’s accession process, commenced several years
ago now, has rapidly propelled it towards harmonisation of its legislation
with European Union standards, gender equality included. Croatia’s
accession to the European Union will take effect from 2013. The
Gender Equality Act adopted on 15 July 2008 has revised the 2003
act for this purpose. The act prohibits any form of discrimination
on the basis of gender, marital or family status or sexual orientation.
It extends the prohibition of discrimination to employment, labour
and education. It also provides for the setting up of gender equality
committees in regional administrative structures and in the city
of Zagreb. The Anti-discrimination Act of 1 January 2009 provides
an additional legislative weapon for combating all forms of discrimination,
whether directed at women or men.
6. Croatia is a Party to the Council of Europe Convention on
Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (CETS No. 197) and the
United Nations International Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women. It is not yet a Party to
the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence
against Women and Domestic Violence (CETS No. 210, “Istanbul Convention”).
However, various people I spoke to told me that a working group
was currently considering how Croatia’s domestic legislation could
be brought into line to allow ratification of this convention; this
would be on the agenda for 2013.
7. Various institutional mechanisms have been established in
the field of gender equality:
- a
Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality since 2000;
- a Gender Equality Ombudsman since 2003;
- a Government Office for Gender Equality since 2004.
8. A national policy to promote gender equality was adopted by
the parliament in 2006 and a national strategy for protection against
domestic violence was adopted for the period 2011-2016.
9. The national programme for the protection and promotion of
human rights (2008-2011) fully incorporated the notion of gender
equality. It emphasised that implementing anti-discrimination laws
is vital for protecting and promoting women’s rights. However, its
effectiveness has been jeopardised by the lack of funding allocated
for its implementation.
2.2. Serbia
10. Serbia is a Party to the Council of Europe Convention
on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women. It signed the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing
and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence on 4 April
2012, but has not yet ratified it.
11. The principle of equality is enshrined in the 2006 Constitution
of the Republic of Serbia, Article 15 of which stipulates that the
State shall guarantee equality between women and men and develop
equal opportunity policies. Article 15 also introduces the principle
that discrimination is prohibited, including gender-based discrimination.
12. The 2009 Gender Equality Act requires all public authorities
to pursue this goal actively, to monitor the implementation of the
principle of gender equality and to supervise the application of
international standards and constitutional rights within the ambit
of their powers. The act extends the principle of equality to employment,
health, family relations, education, culture, sport, politics and
public life and legal protection.
13. A national strategy to improve the position of women and promote
gender equality was adopted in February 2009, focusing on women’s
participation in public life and decision-making, in the economy, education
and health, and highlighting the action to combat violence against
women and the elimination of gender-based stereotypes in the media.
14. Even though these principles have been enshrined in law, however,
the gap between the kind of equality sought with the legislation
and reality remains considerable, particularly as the financial
and technical resources provided for enforcing these laws seem to
be limited.
2.3. “The former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia”
15. “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” is a
Party to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking
in Human Beings and to the International Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It signed the Council
of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against
Women and Domestic Violence on 8 July 2011, but has not yet ratified
it.
16. Regarding the institutional mechanisms established, “the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” has a Gender Equality Unit in the
Ministry of Labour and Social Policies since 1997, with the aim
of influencing women’s role in compliance with international standards.
Ten committees on gender equality were incorporated into the country’s
10 municipal councils as from 2000. Lastly, in 2003, parliament
set up a parliamentary committee on equal opportunities for women
and men, addressing the full spectrum of gender equality issues
and the harmonisation of the legislation with European standards.
17. The Act on equal opportunities for women and men, passed in
2006, governs the basic principles of gender equality and sets out
specific measures for equal opportunities, and the responsibilities,
tasks and obligations of public institutions. The act’s main purpose
is to further the principle of equal opportunities for women and
men in political, economic, social and educational life and in all
other areas of life. The act prohibits all forms of discrimination
between the sexes in the public and private sectors. The bodies
responsible for implementing the principles and measures are parliament,
the government, ministries and other public services.
18. Finally, a national action plan for gender equality 2007-2012
was adopted in 2007 with four strategic goals:
- increasing the employment rate
among women;
- improving and strengthening women’s economic status;
- encouraging transition from the informal economy to the
formal economy in the services sector;
- increasing the employment rate of women in rural regions.
2.4. Slovenia
19. Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004. It is
a Party to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking
in Human Beings and to the International Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It signed the Council
of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against
Women and Domestic Violence on 8 September 2011, but has not yet
ratified it.
20. The Equal Opportunities Act was passed in July 2002 and provides
a common basis for establishing equal opportunities for women and
men:
- it defines and prohibits
direct and indirect discrimination;
- it allows positive measures for ensuring equality;
- it provides for the appointment of an ombudsperson who
will deal with complaints of unequal treatment.
21. In addition, the Labour Relations Act of 1 January 2003 introduced
a number of new provisions on equal opportunities and equal treatment
for women and men.
22. Gender equality is currently under the responsibility of the
Equal Opportunities Office set up in 2003 which looks after the
surveillance and co-ordination of gender equality questions in all
ministries and participates in the drafting of laws and regulations
in accordance with international standards.
2.5. Montenegro
23. Montenegro is a Party to the Council of Europe Convention
on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and to the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women. It signed the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing
and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence on 11 May
2011, but has not yet ratified it.
24. Article 8 of the constitution prohibits direct or indirect
discrimination for whatever reason and guarantees gender equality.
An outline act on equal opportunities was passed in 2007 and coupled
with an action plan adopted in 2008. This is assessed annually and
may be revised in the light of measures taken or not taken.
2.6. Bosnia and Herzegovina
25. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a Party to the Council
of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
and to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women. It has not yet signed the Council
of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women
and Domestic Violence, although the people I spoke to during my
fact-finding visit in September 2012 assured me that it was actively
seeking to do so. In July, the cabinet also adopted an action plan
to combat domestic violence (2012-2017), one of the objectives of
which is the signature of the Istanbul Convention. In addition,
the Gender Equality Committee of the National Assembly joined forces
with the Gender Equality Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Parliamentary
Assembly’s Committee on Gender Equality and Non-discrimination and
the Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 21 November 2011 in holding
a parliamentary seminar to promote the signature and ratification
of the Istanbul Convention.
26. The 2003 Gender Equality Act was revised in 2009 to embody
the concept of direct or indirect discrimination, including discrimination
on grounds of gender. In it, sexual harassment is recognised as
a criminal offence punishable by six months to five years of imprisonment.
Furthermore, the Anti-discrimination Act passed in 2009 completed
the legislative framework and amplifies the concept of sexual harassment
as another form of discrimination.
2.7. General remarks
27. From the point of view of policies and legal standards,
it can be seen clearly that Council of Europe membership and the
process of accession to the European Union has contributed positively
to the introduction of a gender policy in the countries in this
region undergoing transformation. In particular, it has contributed
to:
- the introduction of new
gender legislation;
- the introduction of institutional machinery for the furtherance
of gender equality;
- the provision of support to women’s rights organisations
by enhancing their legitimacy and influence.
28. Thanks to the inclusion of the “gender” parameter in their
work, the national statistical institutes provide certain indicators
regarding the state of society. However, certain subjects remain
taboo, especially issues relating to violence within the family
unit, and in fact are not included in these statistical data. A
meaningful assessment is therefore difficult.
29. One of the principal difficulties continues to be changing
attitudes, which needs time but also logistical and financial resources
and firm political will. Traditional stereotypes regarding respective
male and female roles remain present in many areas of society and
school curricula still convey stereotyped models.
3. Participation in
public and political life
3.1. Croatia
30. At present, 23.84% of the members of the Croatian
parliament are women (the figure was 25.49% in the previous parliament).
Women hold 21% of parliamentary committee chairs. Likewise, in 2010,
women held 15% of ambassador’s posts (compared with 8% in 2000).
31. The appointment of a woman to the post of Minister for Foreign
Affairs and European Integration, indeed a key position, is unquestionably
a move in the right direction in a government where only 18.18%
of the members are women (a deputy prime minister and three ministers
out of 22 members).
32. The Gender Equality Act states that, from 2013, at least 40%
of the candidates on political parties’ lists for all elections
must be from the under-represented sex and provides for fines ranging
from 20 000 to 50 000 kunas (3 000 to 7 000 euros) for any parties
which fail to observe this rule, although these are not always imposed.
3.2. Serbia
33. In the government formed in July 2012, five ministerial
posts were assigned to women, including a post of deputy prime minister
responsible for European integration.
34. Since May 2012, the Serbian Parliament has included 84 women,
namely 34% of its members (up substantially on the previous parliament,
which was 20.4% female). Under the 2004 Electoral Act on the election
of national representatives, the number of candidates of each gender
on the lists of the political parties must be at least 30% of the
total number, and every fourth place on electoral lists must be
reserved for the least represented sex. If an electoral list fails
to comply, the Republic Electoral Commission must declare it invalid. The
increase in the number of women shows that quotas and very strict
penalties bring about progress towards real equality.
35. The same quotas apply at local level. At present, in the 24
towns (gradovi), 23 mayors
(gradonačelnik) are men and
only one is a woman.
36. In the judiciary, the number of women is constantly growing:
64% of judges’ and prosecutors’ posts, 69% of court of first instance
judges; 67% of commercial court judges; and 73% of criminal court
judges.
3.3. “The former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia”
37. The parliament has included 38 women (30.9%) since
the parliamentary elections of 201 and six women are members of
the government, among them the deputy prime minister responsible
for European integration. The electoral law prescribes a quota of
30% of the under-represented sex in the electoral lists, registration
of the list being refused by the central electoral commission if
the quota is not fulfilled.
3.4. Slovenia
38. A quota system for the political parties’ lists of
candidates was introduced in 2006, with an obligation for 25% of
candidates to be of the under-represented sex and rejection of the
list if the quota is not achieved. No woman is a minister in the
present government, but five women are secretaries of state (for
economic development and technology, for education, science, culture
and sport, for health, for home affairs and for labour and family
and social affairs). At the last elections in 2011, 29 women (32.2%)
were elected to parliament. Only one woman is a member of the Senate
(2.5%).
39. For the composition of electoral lists, the law stipulates
that as from 2014, one man and one woman in turn should form the
first half of the list.
3.5. Montenegro
40. In Montenegro, there have been 11 women members of
parliament (13.583%) since the elections held in 2012 (a slight
improvement compared to the 12.3% of the previous legislature),
and two women are ministers in the government. In the autumn of
2001, parliament introduced an electoral quota for women in the
electoral law, stipulating 30% of women on the electoral lists,
although no order is imposed in the composition of the list. The
Electoral Commission may refuse a list that does not meet these
requirements.
3.6. Bosnia and Herzegovina
41. The present parliament has nine women (21.4%), and
two women are members of the Senate. There are no women in the government
appointed in February 2012. The electoral law prescribes that one
third of the lists must consist of the under-represented sex, but
does not provide for a penalty in the event of non-compliance with
the quota.
3.7. General remarks
42. With regard to participation in public and political
life, some key figures show an encouraging trend, even though, despite
certain advances, women’s representation in the political decision-making
process remains inequitable on the whole. As regards quota systems,
only the strictest systems appear to bring about an increase in
women’s representation in public institutions. The example of the
Serbian Parliament is remarkable here.
43. Women still face significant obstacles in making a real and
meaningful contribution to political and public life. Quotas for
women on electoral lists are provided for in legislation but are
not reflected in the membership of the national parliaments. The
non-application of the laws is accounted for either by the absence
of penalties or by insufficiently strict penalties.
4. Violence against
women
4.1. Croatia
44. The legal framework includes a specific law on protection
against domestic violence, certain provisions of the Penal Code
and the Gender Equality Act. The question of domestic violence has
been pursued since 2004. The first national strategy for protection
against domestic violence covers the period 2011-2016. The police
authorities must closely abide by a detailed code of conduct in
cases of domestic violence.
45. Attention should be drawn to the “Protocol on the procedures
to be followed in case of domestic violence” adopted in 2008, aimed
at securing the best possible protection to victims and at co-ordinating
the measures to be taken by the various services concerned. The
protocol calls for co-operation between police forces, social welfare
centres, clinics, schools and judicial bodies. Also to be noted
is the adoption in 2010 of a standard operating procedure for the
police, setting out in detail the various modes of intervention
for officers from the reporting of violence onwards: arrival at
the scene, taking the perpetrator and the victim into custody, taking the
victim’s statement, transfer of the perpetrator to the police station
for further investigation.
46. However, the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) contacted
during my visit to Croatia stressed that women did not have confidence
in these institutions. Numerous testimonies too often point to an
inadequate response by the police or the welfare services which
minimise the facts when they take place in the family unit or if
the victim does not display severe physical traces of violence.
4.2. Serbia
47. According to a 2004 study by the Victimology Society,
one woman in two suffers from psychological violence in the family
circle, and one woman in three suffers from physical violence while
one in four is threatened with violence.
48. Under the legislation in force, conjugal violence is an offence
punishable by a prison sentence of six months to 10 years, depending
on the seriousness. The Law on the family adopted in 2005 institutes
a system of legal protection for the family against family violence
which:
- strictly prohibits domestic
violence;
- grants members of the family a right to protection against
family violence;
- prescribes five measures of legal protection against domestic
violence;
- regulates the judicial proceedings relating to the protection
against domestic violence.
49. Serbia has also launched a national strategy to combat sexual
and gender-related violence, in co-operation with the United Nations
Development Programme (2009-2011).
4.3. “The former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia”
50. The family law reform in 2004 made way for the first
legislation on domestic violence and gave rise to a series of individual
measures for the protection of victims. It defines domestic violence
in law
and enables the Centre
for Social Work and the NGOs operating in the field of education
and prevention of domestic violence to establish a co-ordinated
system for the protection of victims.
51. The first inquiry on domestic violence was carried out in
2000. The inquiry – concerning 600 women – showed that 72.28% of
women had undergone physical assault or threats within the family,
10.4% had been victims of sexual assault or threats, 12.87% had
been physically or sexually assaulted and 4.46% did not answer the
questionnaire. Also in 2000, the first shelter was opened (home
for women victims of domestic violence) taking in women and their
children with a psychological, medical and legal assistance service
for victims.
52. From 2000 to 2011, 3 011 women were received in these shelters
for stays ranging from one day to several years. In 2007, six centres
for women victims of domestic violence were opened at the national
level. At present, four institutional shelters and one established
by an NGO are open. Over the last five years, several legal aid
centres for victims of domestic violence have been set up by UN
Women, but some have closed when funds ran out.
4.4. Slovenia
53. A national programme for prevention of family violence
(2009-2014) was adopted in 2009 under the authority of the Ministry
of Labour and Family and Social Affairs. It puts measures and objectives
in place in order to curb family violence and sets up a working
group for the implementation of activities within the ministries.
The government is to present a report on this national action plan
to parliament every two years.
4.5. Montenegro
54. The Penal Code was amended in 2002 to incorporate
domestic violence in the family as a criminal offence. In 2010,
Montenegro adopted a law on the prevention of domestic violence,
inspired by those adopted by bordering countries. Parliament subsequently
adopted a national strategy on prevention of domestic violence.
55. Statistics supplied by Monstat (national statistics) show
that women represent one third of victims of offences, 75% of victims
of domestic violence and 95% of sexual violence cases. In 2010,
the Montenegrin police registered 385 complaints of domestic violence,
79.6% of whose victims were women. 94% of the perpetrators of these
crimes were men and 31% of them had already been convicted of the
same offence.
4.6. Bosnia and Herzegovina
56. The 2005 Act on protection against domestic violence
contains provisions on measures of protection against domestic violence
and the penalties for perpetrators. An action plan for achieving
gender equality (2012-2017) was adopted by the government in July
2012. It contains a specific section on violence against women.
This provides for the various activities, implementing agencies
and the timetable of activities up to 2017, including the ratification
of the Istanbul Convention.
57. Another form of violence was the rapes which were committed
on a large scale during the Bosnian conflict. The practice of using
sexual violence as an ethnic cleansing tool was classified as “torture”
and a “crime against humanity” by the International Criminal Tribunal,
at the close of the trial of three Serb soldiers in 2001. However,
trials have not taken place at national level and the perpetrators
of the atrocities have not been sentenced. Moreover, many women
come face to face with their tormentors from that era on a daily
basis. Yet the matter remains such a taboo that it is still difficult
to find people in Bosnia or the other countries affected by the
war who are willing to discuss it.
4.7. General remarks
58. Violence against women is a scourge that affects
many women in the region. Here, as in other countries, such practices
are still considered acceptable among certain sectors of the population
and, as a result, are only partially reported and recorded. Numerous
NGOs are working to raise women’s awareness of their rights and to
alert politicians to the problem but there is also a need to tackle
persistent cultural taboos through education, from a very young
age. The support of the public authorities is vital, particularly
the involvement of the Ministry of Education in combating domestic
violence, for example through school education.
59. Although various programmes have been introduced to train
judges, prosecutors and police forces, women are still reluctant
to file complaints, not least because of the slowness of court proceedings,
during which the victim has no protection from the abusive spouse,
who is not required to stay away. Statistics show that, in the majority
of domestic violence cases, the abuser continues to live in the
family home even if the person is not the owner or registered tenant.
In the absence of any protection for victims or fast-track or urgent proceedings
for domestic violence cases, victims remain vulnerable.
5. Participation in
the labour market and economic empowerment
5.1. Croatia
60. The gender pay gap is 12% on average for equal work.
Women also tend to be recruited to positions of a lower grade than
men with the same qualifications, and even if they outperform men
in terms of university qualifications.
61. According to the World Bank,
in
2010, a woman’s average wage was US$12 934 as against US$19 360 for
a man.
62. Sexual harassment in the workplace is a common practice. In
2011, Croatia’s gender equality ombudsperson recorded 80 complaints
for sexual harassment in the workplace. The first-ever conviction
for this offence was handed down by the Croatian courts on 3 March
2011 (the accused was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment) and
sets an encouraging precedent for women who are still afraid to
file complaints for fear of reprisals.
5.2. Serbia
63. Women represent 55% of the working population, but
only 30% of women occupy managerial posts. According to the World
Bank,
in
2010, a woman’s average wage was US$7 654 as against US$12 900 for
a man.
5.3. “The former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia”
64. The female employment rate is lower than the male
employment rate: in 2008, men represented 50.7% of the employed
population whereas women represented only 32.9%. In terms of active
population, 76.6% of men are considered active compared to only
50.2% of women. The gender wage gap is in the region of 20% and
over.
65. According to the World Bank,
in
2010, a woman’s average wage was US$5 956 as against US$12 247 for
a man.
66. Moreover, in its 2008 report on “the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia”, Amnesty International points to constant discrimination
against Roma girls and women, who are deprived of education, work
or health insurance. It is estimated that over 66% of these women
can only find work on the “grey” market of the economy.
5.4. Slovenia
67. The legislation for the defence and promotion of
women’s rights and their participation in the labour market and
political life also represents a genuine advance towards gender
equality. However, this legislation still has only a limited impact
on the situation of women, who represent less than one third of
company directors and senior civil servants and have deficient political
representation although they have more educational qualifications
than men.
68. In the labour market, women remain concentrated in certain
sectors of activity at certain levels of the occupational hierarchy,
irrespective of the sector of activity concerned. Women predominate
in the service industries including health, social work, education,
financial brokerage, catering and tourism. They represent less than
one third of the population working in the sectors of engineering
and construction.
5.5. Montenegro
69. Women made up 46% of the active population in 2011
as against 54% of men.
The overwhelming majority
of female labour is employed on fixed-term contracts, which not
only places them in precarious circumstances and restricts their
financial independence, but in practice also hampers the enjoyment
of the right to maternity leave.
5.6. Bosnia and Herzegovina
70. In a country where the unemployment rate is particularly
high (43%), fewer women enter the labour market.
The
female unemployment rate in 2010 stood at 30% as against 25.6% for
men. Women are the victims of discrimination at work, their wages
are lower than men’s for the same type of work, and they receive fewer
promotions. Women’s jobs are the first to be axed during restructuring.
5.7. General remarks
71. In terms of conditions of labour market access and
employment, common features recur throughout the region:
- the female employment rate is
comparatively low;
- women are more highly educated than men but do not reach
corresponding responsible positions;
- women’s responsibilities in the family remain greater
than those of men;
- rural women are more marginalised than urban women, particularly
because of low educational levels and a more traditional social
environment. They have limited access to land ownership, training,
modern farming methods, finance and facilities. In agriculture,
they generally work as unskilled labourers;
- women are more often recruited for fixed-term contracts,
allowing the maternity leave entitlement enshrined in the laws to
be circumvented;
- sexual harassment remains a widespread and infrequently
punished practice.
6. Conclusions
72. In the aftermath of the war that followed the break-up
of Yugoslavia, the countries in the region had to meet the dual
challenge of progress towards a market economy and the consolidation
of democracy.
73. In less than ten years, serious progress has been made with
the introduction of legislative frameworks to align legislation
with international and European standards, but gender equality is
still far from being a reality. The governments tend to deal with
economic and political situations – particularly during the current
difficult period of financial and economic crisis – without including
the gender aspect, when the approach to it should be comprehensive
and cross-cutting.
74. Unfortunately, the lack of effective oversight of the implementation
of legislation and of proper financial and technical resources means
that the implementation of the laws passed, which often comply with
the standards of the Council of Europe and the European Union, remains
slow and inconsistent.
75. Statistics integrating the gender concept are not always available.
Regular and detailed recording of gender-related data is nevertheless
a crucial starting point for a proper comprehensive gender policy.
76. The countries in the region should intensify their efforts
to raise awareness among all economic and social players about the
need to empower women. Women must realise their full potential in
political, economic and social participation in overall development
at the national and also regional levels.
77. In line with Council of Europe priorities and in view of the
situation described in this report, measures should be taken in
order to:
- intensify efforts
towards women’s participation in political life, at the national
and local levels, and their participation in public life;
- promote actions and campaigns to raise awareness of combating
violence against women and domestic violence, ratify the Council
of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women
and Domestic Violence and deal with the question of violence against
women in a comprehensive and cross-cutting way;
- actively combat sexual harassment, especially in the workplace;
- deploy measures to combat discrimination against women
and multiple forms of discrimination with a view to their becoming
real economic and social players;
- make the population aware of women’s rights, in particular
by organising information campaigns and by gender mainstreaming
in school and university curricula;
- pursue and intensify efforts to promote gender equality
by working to narrow the male-female wage gap and by encouraging
women to achieve positions at the highest levels and in all areas;
- allocate the necessary human and financial resources to
implementing the national gender equality action plans and ensuring
their regular assessment, in particular by providing financial support
for NGOs operating in this field;
- give rural women access to the labour market, especially
by fostering their access to a basic level of education, land ownership,
training, modern farming methods, finance and facilities.