Reply to Recommendation 1281 (1995) on gender equality in education

Doc. 7707
2 December 1996

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Reply to Recommendation 1281 (1995) on gender equality in education

(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 20 November 1996 at the 578th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

1. The Committee of Ministers has read with interest Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1281 (1995) on gender equality in education. It wishes to inform the Assembly that it has brought this Recommendation to the attention of the governments and to transmit it to the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG), the Education Committee (CC-ED) and the Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC), asking them to bear it in mind in their activities.

2. Furthermore, the Committee of Ministers notes with satisfaction that this Recommendation not only complements a series of recent Assembly Recommendations on equality between women and men, but also coincided with the adoption by the 4th World Conference on Women (Beijing, 4-15 September 1995) of the Action Platform, one chapter of which deals with education. It is thus making a useful contribution to the implementation of the Action Platform in the member States of the Council of Europe.

3. The Committee of Ministers shares the concerns expressed in the Recommendation regarding the need to achieve de facto equality between women and men, which involves reviewing and redefining traditional value judgments on the roles attributed to women and men in society. Education, particularly human rights education, can play a key role in this field.

4. In this context, the Committee of Ministers recalls the project "Access to higher education in Europe" conducted by the Higher Education and Research Committee. This project has highlighted the difficulties encountered by certain groups or sectors of the population in acceding to higher education on an egalitarian basis, and has facilitated an analysis of policies and practices liable to restrict the participation of women and measures to offset the negative aspects noted. The closing conference of the project held in Parma (Italy) on 18-20 September 1996 considered and supported the recommendations prepared within the project concerning inter alia "access of women to higher education". These proposals will serve as the basis for preparing a draft Recommendation that the Higher Education and Research Committee will submit to the Committee of Ministers in 1997 via the Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC).

5. The Committee of Ministers broadly shares the Assembly's view that "education should help [girls and boys, women and men] to develop their full potential, to preserve their personal integrity, to aim at economic independence and to participate fully in society and political life", and recalls the many relevant projects conducted by the CDCC, such as "Education in democratic life", "Adult education" and "A secondary education for Europe". The results of the new project on "Learning and Teaching about the history of Europe in the 20th Century in secondary schools" will include a set of teaching units, one of which is concerned with the history of women in Europe in the 20th Century.

6. The Committee of Ministers is aware of the importance of a balanced sharing of responsibilities in the home between men and women. Such a balance not only facilitates access by women to working life, including vocational training and further education, but also removes the old stereotypes from the vision which children have of gender roles. Moreover, a greater sharing of responsibility within the family is felt to be of benefit to society as a whole. It recalls Recommendation No. R (96) 5 on reconciling working life and family life, adopted at the 569th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies (June 1996).

7. In connection with discrimination against women in terms of access to employment and working conditions, we should bear in mind the established case-law of the supervisory organs of the European Social Charter, which have regularly drawn the Contracting States' attention to the need to adopt all the appropriate measures to give full effect to the provisions of Article 4 of the Charter and Article 1 of the Additional Protocol thereto.

8. With regard to the idea of an "overall strategy for a more egalitarian and democratic society", the Committee of Ministers recalls that the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG) has set up a Group of Specialists on Mainstreaming, which will be responsible for devising strategies for the integration of equality between women and men as a natural component part of all fields of activity at all levels of society.

9. Where paragraph 12 of the Recommendation is concerned, the Committee of Ministers would make the following comments:

Re. ii a-c: In 1995 the CDEG adopted a report on equality and democracy which set out, inter alia, guidelines for a strategy to integrate women on an equal footing with men in political and public life and the other spheres of life. This report contains several references to education and stresses the need to review teaching materials and methods in order to prevent stereotyping and acknowledge and enhance the role played by women in history. The Committee of Ministers transmitted this report for information to the Parliamentary Assembly, the CLRAE and the steering and ad hoc committees. Moreover, a handbook on equality and democracy is being prepared within the context of the CDEG. Education is one of the areas which will be given special consideration in the handbook. The handbook is expected to be an important pedagogical tool in the work for awareness-raising and practical work to promote gender equality. Furthermore, in connection with para. ii a, the Committee of Ministers draws the Assembly's attention to its Recommendation No. R (90) 4 on the elimination of sexism from language, adopted at the 434th meeting of the Deputies (February 1990).

Re ii d: A CDEG Group of Specialists on the Right to Free Choice in matter of Reproduction and Lifestyles, which has been instructed to prepare a Recommendation on this subject, will be paying close attention to questions such as sex education and information and family planning advisory services.

Re ii e: The Committee of Ministers recalls that the 3rd European Ministerial Conference on Equality between Women and Men (Rome, 21-22 October 1993), which dealt with the subject of "Strategies for the elimination of violence against women in society: the media and other means", adopted a Declaration on policies to combat violence against women in a democratic Europe. Following this Declaration, the CDEG set up a Group of Specialists for Combating Violence against Women, which is responsible for preparing a Plan of action on this subject. The Plan will deal not only with researching and evaluating the phenomenon of violence against women but also with the legislative and judicial aspects, prevention and education, and also assistance for the victims and perpetrators of violence. The Group is also studying the role and responsibility of the media vis-à-vis violence against women.

Re v: The Committee of Ministers shares the Parliamentary Assembly's views on this point, and recalls its Declaration on Equality of Women and Men, adopted on 16 November 1988, which states that the strategies to be applied to enable women and men to "receive equal treatment under the law and equal opportunities to exercise their rights and develop their individual gifts and talents" must provided for appropriate measures, including "access to all professions, occupational advancement, and remuneration".

Re vi: A joint group of CDEG and CDMG specialists is currently working on the subject of "migrations, cultural diversity and equality between women and men". This group has dealt with migrant girls and the many difficulties they encounter in society, particularly in education.

10. Lastly, the Committee of Ministers takes note of the Assembly's proposals in paragraph 13 and recalls that Recommendation 1281 has been forwarded to the Council for Cultural Co-operation and the Education Committee so that they can take it into account in their work. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance recently co-operated with the CDEG in setting up a joint Group of Specialists on Intolerance, Racism and Equality between Women and Men. This Group is responsible for examining the question of universality as compared with cultural relativism, in respect of the fundamental right of women and men to equality, as well as the links between intolerance and sexism.