[Brussels, 14 October 2014] The launch of EWL Beijing+20 report through quotes of guests and participants.
Read EWL Beijing+20 report here. See some photos here.
Viviane Teitelbaum, President of the European Women’s Lobby:
“20 years after Beijing, much has been achieved, but much remains to be done. While we should be celebrating the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, our report shows that women and girls still face inequality, violence, discrimination and insecurity.
Women and girls can’t wait 20 more years to enjoy their full human rights! We want a feminist Europe! We want the EU to lead the way, we want a strong strategy on equality between women and men. Change can happen and women can make change happen!”
João Afonso, Deputy Mayor of Lisbon on Social Rights:
“We are delighted to welcome the EWL and its members in this symbolic venue: the school Escola Básica e Secundária Passos Manuel The struggle for public education is very important. Lisbon has made gender equality a priority: we have adopted the first local Action Plan to combat violence against women”.
Margarida Medina Martins, President of the Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights PpDM
“The celebration of Beijing+20 comes at a strategic time for the women’s movement and the European Union policies on gender equality. The title of EWL report gives our main message: “From words to action”!”
Video clip of UN Women Beijing+20 campaign:
Feminist poems, read by Susana Gaspar:
- Phenomenal woman, by Maya Angelou
- Sisterhood, by Melin W
Video message of UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka:
Presentation of the main outcomes of EWL Beijing+20 report by Pierrette Pape, EWL Policy Officer and Project Coordinator.
Teresa Morais, Portuguese Secretary of State of Parliamentary Affairs and Equality:
“Portugal will make sure that combating all forms of violence against women will be a priority of the new European Strategy for gender equality. We will call for a stand-alone goal in ending violence against women in the new post-2015 development framework.”
Marino Di Nardo and Elena Falcomatà, senior experts, Italian Presidency of the EU:
“EWL report is very useful for the EU debate on Beijing+20 and for the discussion on the new framework in Europe. The Italian Presidency will make sure that strong Council Conclusions will be adopted on Beijing+20. Violence against women must a be a priority.”
Virginija Langbakk, Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality EIGE:
“All reports, both EIGE and EWL reports, confirm the same tendencies. Knowing we have so many strong women here, we will manage!”
Gertrud Aström, on behalf of the Nordiskt Forum:
“Let’s organise other regional NGO events, like the Nordiskt Forum, in Europe!”
Ana Gomes, Member of the European Parliament:
“Women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are women’s rights. We need a new vision of human security: women’s security. Women are actors of change, in all sectors.”
Participants:
Tonny Filedt Kok, EWL Board member, The Netherlands:
“Beijing 1995: energy is back!!”
“The launch of EWL Beijing+20 report was an inspirational and creative interaction between the audience and the guest speakers. The excellent report is a toolkit for politicians, policy-makers, campaigners and civil society. Women are actors for change: towards a female economy!
I was in Beijing in 1995 and for me it was extremely important. It changed my life to see the power of women coming from all over the world. After that I was more engaged in gender equality and women rights.”
Adriana Delgado, Portuguese Network of Young People for Gender Equality, member of the Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights (PpDM):
“As a young feminist, I was only five years old in 1995 at the time of the UN’s Fourth Conference on Women, and far from dreaming of my future involvement in the women’s movement. Being at the launch yesterday was an opportunity to think about how much has been done already for women’s rights and realizing how much effort it took of the generations before mine.
I was also happy to hear the work of a new generation of feminists being recognized by the more seasoned feminists, particularly in its use of new media. At the same time, the report will be an excelent tool in the following years to frame the challenges we face, and I’m looking forward to being a part of that!”
EWL press release “From words to action: women can’t wait 20 more years to enjoy their full human rights”
