Declaration of Madrid for the Participation of Women in Decision-Making

III. Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men of the Member States of the European Union and the European Parliement.

The members of the Network of Parliamentary Committees for Equal Opportunities of Women and Men of the Parliaments of the Member States of the European Union and the European Parliament (NCEO) gathered in Madrid on 26th and 27th November 1999

Aware that:

Equality between men and women constitutes a fundamental human right which has repeatedly been affirmed by international conventions such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) and the Beijing Platform of Action (1995).
General legal recognition of equal rights for men and women is codified in the Amsterdam Treaty, especially in Articles 2, 3, 13, 137 and 141.
The Athens Declaration of 3 November 1992 on the occasion of the first "Women in Power European Summit" as well as the Charter of Rome, adopted in May 1996, on "Women for the renewal of policy and society" and the Council Recommendation of 2 December support the balanced participation of women and men in the decision-making processes (96/694/EC).
Participation of men and women in the decision-making process is a democratic principle. Consequently, the under-representation of women in positions of responsibility calls into question the legitimacy of all democratic systems.
Such under-representation of women is evident in the decision-making process in the political, economic, social and cultural fields and at all levels: local, regional, national and European. This represents a general loss to society and a considerable waste of talent and experience.
Family life is a positive value, both for women as well as for,men, and the active participation of political representatives in family life leads them to better know and identify the needs and aspirations of those they represent.
The political career of women is more limited, to the point where there are differences between women and men not only in the drafting of electoral lists but also in the amount of time women remain in their representative posts. Nowhere is the gap between de jure and de facto gender equality greater than in the area of decision-making.
There is unequal participation of women and men in family and political life. Women continue to take on the responsibilities of a family, and this is a major obstacle to their engaging in political activity and a political career.
Equality of the sexes in politics implies equal tasks in the realm of the family. Society needs men and women to share all tasks equally. Without equal sharing of family responsibilities among women and men, there cannot be equality in political representation. The new social structure requires collective actions.
A society which is just and equal for all of its members must be encouraged.

Urge:

The political parties and democratic institutions of Europe and the world to promote equally the participation of women and men in political life, for example by the use of positive actions.
The political parties to draw up electoral lists for all elections held in the member States which reflect a balance between women and men, with the aim of obtaining equal representation in the institutions.
The governments and political parties to introduce changes, not only at the legislative level, but rather special initiatives and measures aimed at facilitating and promoting equal access to political life for women and men and to reconcile this with family life.
That measures be established to favor the training, permanence and leadership of women in political life.
That the working place and working time be made more flexible in line with the reconciliation of political and family life.
That a study be made of the effects of tax treatment and social contributions with the aim of improving the participation of women in economic, social and political life.
That more in-depth awareness campaigns be made aimed at society as a whole in order to promote the idea that women and men are to share responsibilities.
That the infrastructures for attention to children be broadened and brought in line with the new social structure, that their quality and economic feasibility be improved and that shared parental leave be encouraged.
That services for the care of dependent persons be broadened, and that reduced working schedules and leave for the care of these persons be shared by both women and men.
That the profile of women elected to public office be analysed in order to undertake positive measures to increase the participation of women in political life.
That, especially at local level, the rights of elected representatives be promoted in order for them to carry out their functions properly and on an equal footing.
That a change be brought about in political culture in order to take into account matters such as the times at which institutional meetings are programmed or the number of such meetings in order to facilitate reconciliation of public life with family life.
That consideration be given to the introduction of the necessary amendments to the Regulations of Institutions involving political representation in order to reconcile the right to parental leave with political life.
That permanent processes of assessment be systematically applied to the effects of the policies drawn up to obtain equal rights and opportunities for women and men.

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