03/03/2009
PES marks International Women's Day with first european election day action
The Party of European Socialists, and socialist, social democratic and labour parties across Europe, are highlighting their commitment to women’s equality by celebrating International Women’s Day.
The PES has designated the weekend 7-8 March, which includes International Women’s Day (8 March), as its first ‘European Day of Action’ for the 2009 European elections.
Events organized by PES member parties are confirmed over the two days in at least 18 EU member states including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. For more details consult the full list of activities.
PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen will join Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women, at a large public event in Budapest organized by the Women’s Section of the Hungarian Socialist Party and the Women’s Section of the Hungarian Trade Unions Association from 10-10.45 in front of the Museum of Fine Arts. They will also address an award ceremony organized by the Socialist Party Women’s Section, and in the presence of Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, from 11.00-13.30 for outstanding achievements in advancing the cause of women.
Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women, said “Championing gender equality is the commitment the PES makes in its manifesto because we believe profoundly in equality between women and men. Socialists and social democrats have been at the forefront of the women’s movement from the its beginning and will continue to play a major role now and in the future. The PES is the only major European political party to make a manifesto commitment to the principle of equality between women and men.”
Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said “I am proud to celebrate International Women’s day and I am proud of the PES’ commitment to champion gender equality. The manifestos of the Liberal ELDR and the Conservative EPP contain no commitment to gender equality. The Liberals laughably claimed that they had made no specific commitment to women because it was in their genes. How can they seriously claim that they care so much about women’s equality that they forgot to say so? We all know Conservatives have spent years opposing or trying to undermine women’s rights – so the absence of a commitment to women’s equality is hardly a surprise.”
You can follow reports from PES member party International Women’s Day events on the PES website http://elections2009.pes.org/ on Saturday 7 March and Sunday 8 March.
