693rd meeting - 12 January 2000
Item 4.2
WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL LIFE
IN THE REGIONS OF EUROPE
Recommendation 68 (1999) of the Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE)
(Rap-Eg(99)1)
Decision
The Deputies adopted the following reply to Recommendation 68 (1999) of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) on women’s participation in political life in the regions of Europe:
"The Committee of Ministers has taken note with interest of Recommendation 68 (1999) of the CLRAE on women’s participation in political life in the regions of Europe and of the results of the survey carried out by the Congress into women’s representation in the regional institutions of the member states.
Women’s participation in political life at the regional and local level is indeed particularly important to ensure that the needs and interests of all citizens are taken into account when decisions are made.
The Committee of Ministers wishes to draw the attention of the CLRAE to the work of the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men (CDEG) which, during recent years, has produced a number of reports and studies on the question of the balanced participation of women and men in political and public life. The CDEG is currently preparing, with the assistance of a group of specialists, a report on positive action in the field of equality between women and men, which deals with, inter alia, positive action in political decision-making. This report should be available in the second half of 2000. The Committee of Ministers requests that while finalising its work, the Group on positive action bears in mind the ideas contained in paragraph 7 of Recommendation 68 (1999).
Furthermore, the CDEG intends to set up a group of specialists to prepare a draft recommendation from the Committee of Ministers on balanced representation of women and men in political decision-making. The Committee of Ministers suggests that the CDEG involves the CLRAE in this work, possibly by inviting a representative of the Congress to participate in the work of this group of specialists. The suggestions contained in paragraph 7 in the Recommendation 68 (1999) might be studied in the framework of this Group’s activities."