Ligestillingsudvalget 2016-17
LIU Alm.del Bilag 113
Offentligt
31 July 2017
Advancing women’s health and gender equality in Eastern
Partnership’s countries
Towards more parliamentary engagement
Concept Note
Overview
The
Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) were agreed in 2015 by all Member States of
the United Nations as a successor of the Millennium Development Goals. The SDGs entered
into force on 1 January 2016 and contain 17 Goals and 169 targets to lead world's
development until 2030 and improve the well-being and equality for all people.
Additionally and more specifically for this Concept note, all five countries of the Euronest are
signatories to the
Beijing Declaration
and Platform for Action of September 1995, and the
International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (Cairo
Conference)
of September 1994, two main international agreements that created a platform
for action for gender equality and population issues. All countries have shown considerable
achievements in review reports of ICPD, Beijing and MDG processes. However major
challenges still persist specifically in overcoming regional, urban/rural and educative gaps in
achieving well-being and equality for all.
The European Parliament Resolution (13 December 2016) on Rights of Women in the Eastern
Partnership States (2016/2060(INI)) stressed the need for the EaP countries
to take
immediate action to increase equality between women and men in society,
including the
adoption of national action plans and cooperation with international organisations and civil
society stakeholders. It also underlined the positive role that the Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly can play in promoting women’s political participation and their
visibility in the
Eastern Partnership.
Following this Resolution, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly wished to explore the
possibility of conducting a Consultation specifically dedicated to the achievement of the
SDG
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
and
SDG Goal 5: Achieve
gender equality and empower all women and girls
and more concretely to the role that the
Parliamentarians
–
members of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly can play in ensuring
their achievement.
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 LIU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 113: Invitation til deltagelse i konference om ligestilling i Aserbajdsjan den 22/9-17
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31 July 2017
In particular:
Gender equality remains a horizontal priority within the European Neighbourhood Policy and
the European Neighbourhood Instrument. According to the ICPD Beyond 2014 Review, there
have been great achievements in bringing gender gap in most European countries, especially
in regards to completing secondary and higher education
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. The review document however
notes that the discrimination against women and girls still exists. Hourly
gender pay gap
persists although it shows a slight reduction.
Stereotypes
widely conveyed by society leave women in a subordinate role. These
stereotypes start to develop during childhood, are reflected in educational and training
choices and continue into the labour market. Women are significantly absent from the
structures of power in the
Eastern Partnership States.
Violence against women
remains an issue. Recent European Parliament Resolution (13
December 2016) on Rights of Women in the Eastern Partnership States (2016/2060(INI))
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has
noted serious shortcomings in access to justice for women victims of gender-based violence.
There is severe under-reporting of such crimes, very few convictions for rape, and very little
or no state funding for support services. The lifetime prevalence of physical violence is over
20 % in four of the five countries.
Eastern Partnership countries are lagging behind in reaching all women, especially those in
the poorest, most remote areas and those belonging to marginalised groups (national
minorities, migrants and women with disabilities) for the provision of
prenatal care and
skilled birth attendance at delivery.
The services such as emergency obstetric care and
essential supplies in place are crucial in reducing maternal mortality.
Women and men in Eastern partnership countries often face difficulties in
accessing sexual
and reproductive health services and rights
(SRHR). Serious barriers still exist for poor
women, migrants, ethnic minorities and those who live in rural areas: fewer than 50 per cent
of women in EaP countries use modern methods of contraceptive, and in some countries
even fewer than 20 per cent, the main reasons being poor counselling, high costs, and lack
of choice and unreliable supply of contraceptives;
The risk of dying from cervical cancer is 10 times higher in EaP countries than in Western
Europe, that it is the most common form of cancer among women of 15-44 years of age and
that it therefore has far-reaching effects on the fabric of society. There is a strong need for
nationally organised screening and vaccination programmes to combat these trends.
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https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/pau/icpd/Conference/Regional_Report/Executive_Summary.pdf
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+P8-TA-2016-
0487+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN
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 LIU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 113: Invitation til deltagelse i konference om ligestilling i Aserbajdsjan den 22/9-17
31 July 2017
The role of Parliamentarians
Parliamentarians act as the bridge between the people and their government and are
therefore instrumental in advocating for the rights and needs of the people. By enacting and
improving relevant laws and policies, parliamentarians help to create an enabling
environment for the achievement of the SDG goals and play a critical role in mobilizing
necessary resources.
The outcome document for the UN Summit to adopt the Post 2015 Development Agenda
"Transforming our World, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development'
has underlined
the essential role of national parliaments in the agenda implementation through their
enactment of legislation and adoption of budgets as well as their role in ensuring
accountability for the effective implementation of commitments. (para 39). It urged
parliaments and other actors to embrace this commitment to sustainable development by
directing investments and activities towards areas that contribute to sustainable
development and away from harmful, unsustainable one.
para 70 . Parliaments are also
encouraged to engage in national reviews on progress made on the SDGs over the next 15
years.
Hence, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly has proposed to organise a conference to
discuss the UN SDG 3 and 5 and the means of parliamentary involvement, ensuring
accountability and engagement in their implementation.
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