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Important step to acknowledge the work of carers
The European Parliament adopted today in Strasbourg a resolution on "Non-discrimination based on gender and inter-generational solidarity".
Rapporteur is Slovak MEP Mrs Anna Záborská (KDH).
This resolution (and the own-initiative report tabled by the European Parliament women's right's committee) marks an important step to acknowledge the work of carers and the commitment to promote solidarity between generations.
The EU-Parliament acknowledges for the first time that attention should begin to focus on the concept of care-related discrimination, linked to the fact of taking up maternity, paternity, parental, and family leave, the object being to determine whether discrimination in such instances constitutes forms of discrimination based on sex.
The Záborská report intended to raise awareness on the hidden part of economic growth produced by the above actors, which should be distinguished from "black market", in order to make it visible at the economic level.
The alternative proposal of the Green group tackles the sovereignty of the current Czech presidency, which challenges the "Barcelona criteria" (i.e. to introduce by 2010 childcare for 90% of children between three years old and the mandatory school age and for at least 33% of children under three years old)
Nevertheless, in the context of the European Parliament, the text adopted this morning presents a undeniable progress in the field of intergenerational solidarity.
Result of vote: 358 +, 271 -, 23 0
Check out how your representative voted, at the European parliament site.
2.2.2009: Czech Presidency valuing education work
What is at stake
The European Parliament is currently studying an own-initiative report on the "Non-discrimination based on sex and inter-generational solidarity" The Rapporteur is Mrs. Anna Záborská (Slovakia, group PPE-DE, Christian-democrats).
The report, unanimously voted within the EP Committee of women's rights and gender equality, is particularly rich in positive lesson and visions. It indicates material for consideration and action for social Europe re: the non-monetary informal work done by women in the coordination of solidarity networks between generations. This report fully respects the principle of subsidiarity. read more how to inform your MP
However, despite the broad consensus prevailing in the European Parliament in favor of this report, 4 members of the European Parliament belonging to the group of the Greens submitted at the last minute, an alternative motion for a resolution. Consequently, Members who will gather in plenary next week will have to choose between the initial report of the women's rights committee, and the alternative proposal from the Greens political group.
This Green proposal is incompletely copying the original report in a non consistent way which confines itself to a traditional vision of the fight for equal opportunities on the formal employment market. It deletes the importance of the role of the man/father, of ‘young retirees’, the support for the elderly dependent people and the role of carers.
It suppresses the model of the "Carers acts" (UK) or the French model of "universal service employment cheque" and does not wish to promote other good practices of the Member States.
Therefore one must ask the MEP to respect the work of the women's rights committee while voting first against the alternative proposal put forward by the Greens. The second vote sould be in favor of the own-initiative report ("Záborská report ").
Institutional background
Members of the European Parliament will vote on Tuesday 2 February 2009 at a plenary sitting in the seat of the EP institution in Strasbourg.
The motion for a resolution called to the vote is based on the own-initiative report on the non-discrimination based on sex and intergenerational solidarity.
The own-initiative report is accompanied by a working paper which gives broad guidelines of the report.
The own-initiative report was voted unanimously.
However, any group has the right to submit an alternative draft resolution
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Please note how much the Czech presidency is putting in to go against the mainstream
Parental Childcare and Employment Policy
“Collision or Complementarity?“
5 - 6 Feb 2009
EU Discussion Panel with well known speakers such as
Anna Zaborska (SK) and
Günter Danhel (A)
read more...
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