European Parliament celebrates International Women’s Day

Brussels (Brussels Morning) The European Parliament celebrated International Women’s Day on Monday, playing pre-recorded speeches of women world leaders, according to a press release.

Opening the plenary session, EP President David Sassoli warned that the coronavirus crisis threatens the right of women in Europe to work, to autonomy and emancipation. It was unacceptable, he said, that women in the EU “earn on average 14.1% less than men”.

He called on the bloc to criminalize violence against women and urged all member states to ratify the Istanbul Convention.

EC to raise women’s employment levels to men’s

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pointed out that the employment rate for women in the EU stands at 67%, in contrast with 78% for men, which she found unacceptable . For this reason, she said, “we will do everything in our power” to redress this disparity by the end of the decade.

“The Commission required that all member states put women at the centre of their post-COVID-19 recovery plans,” von der Leyen pointed out and concluded that “it will only be a true recovery if these plans are for all.”

More women needed in the work force

Among the featured pre-recorded messages by female world leaders, that of US Vice President Kamala Harris noted how the world does not work for women.