More women in AI – a priority for European Parliament
More women working in AI and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) should be a priority for the European Union, according to the European Parliament that has approved recommendations for the EU’s position in the upcoming UN global meeting on women’s rights in New York in March. Fight stereotypes and combat persisting inequalities in education, as well as address women’s employment rate and under-representation in certain sectors like STEM and AI”, the recommendations say.
The MEPs stress the need to resist efforts to roll back existing rights amid pressure from anti-rights movements and health care including safe and legal abortions.
EU should express opposition to all forms of gender-based violence, including online or offline,
“Encourage measures that promote women’s participation and gender balance in all high impact sectors, including STEM; stress the importance of combating gender stereotypes, attitudes and prejudices in all their dimensions, through all kinds of media, including social media, and promote programmes, including through public-private partnerships, to reduce discrimination against women in politics and public positions.”
The Parliament calls for EU leadership in achieving equal opportunities for women in every area of life, including by implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on gender equality. The Parliament’s recommendation was adopted with 322 votes in favour, 163 against, and 46 abstentions.
Amid a growing transnational backlash against women’s rights, MEPs want the EU to confirm its commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform, which they describe as an “international ‘Bill of Rights’ for women”. They condemn “all attempts to roll back, restrict or remove existing protections for gender equality” in light of increasingly influential anti-rights movements.
MEPs also say the EU must support partner countries in addressing gender discrimination, and to lead by example in promoting equality, ensuring that the rights of women and girls are a core part of the EU’s external action.
To ensure equal opportunities in all areas of life, MEPs call for gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting in all relevant EU policy areas and the improved collection of gender-disaggregated equality data, which should also contribute to better policy making.
They also demand the EU addresses the systemic and root causes of women’s poverty, with an emphasis on women and girls living in rural areas.
MEPs urge the EU to implement equal pay and pensions, call for more female political leadership, and want member states to ensure women and girls can fulfil their potential through education, training and work opportunities.
MEPs also want to see more efforts to boost female entrepreneurship and women’s economic autonomy.
After the vote, rapporteur and Chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Lina Gálvez (S&D, Spain) said: “At the current rate of progress, it will take 286 years to close the gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory legislation for women globally. The European Parliament wants women’s rights to be taken more seriously in all policy areas.”
“This is now more important than ever due to the global backlash against the protection of women’s rights, including sexual and reproductive rights.”
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