Non est enim personarum acceptio apud Deum. (Romans 2:11)
The First Vice President of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, told TheParliament.com, Sweden must use its six-month EU Presidency to showcase best practice on gender equality issues.
I agree. Sweden is a more equal country than most other countries in Europe.
Wallström told TheParliament.com she was confident women's rights would be high on the agenda when Sweden takes over the rotating Presidency on Wednesday.
Wallström said: "Sweden already has a good reputation when it comes to fighting for gender equality, so I really hope that they will keep it up".
Wallström continued: "It's a golden opportunity to showcase what are good and best practices in Sweden but also to support the case for women in Europe".
Wallström is correct.
The differences on many issues are huge between different countries in Europe.
I came back to Sweden from southern Belgium in the midst of April, after nine years there, so I have seen the difference.
In the Belgian region I used to live in, 58 percent of women are unemployed.
Why should so many women, more than half of the work force, be unemployed compared to men in certain countries?
When a couple have a child in Sweden, the parents have 480 days here to share for leave, and paid to a high degree, to be with the child.
But the leave must be shared between the parents, so that one parent gets at least 60 days with his child.
When I got my daughter in Belgium in 2001, my right there was three days of parental leave. Nowadays they have changed it to ten days there.
My friends in Sweden got at least 60 days, when they became fathers.
That's just an example.
When it comes to Members of Parliament, Judges, Attorneys, Medical Doctors, Pastors and Bishops in the Swedish Church, you will find more or less equal representation of men and women in Sweden.
If we want Europe to develop, we cannot, like in certain countries and regions, have two thirds of women unemployed, doing nothing.
Why should men do all the work?
And why should women be without money?
Women and men are different, that's true, but there are still lots of things which we can improve through politics.
"Non est masculus et femina; omnes enim vos unus estis in Christo Iesu", Galatians 3:28.
2 comments:
Congratulations to Margot!
Few Swedes are as fit for the task and I wish her all the best. Let´s just hope she doesn´t forget what EQUAL and democratic human rights means like so many politicians have domestically.
I join in congratulating Margot.
When it comes to equal and democratic human rights, I believe we can trust her.
Thanks for commenting Elisabeth!
:-)
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