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- Ελληνικά
Monday, 25 March 2024
The 71st Conference of the European Affairs Committees of the Parliaments of the Member States of the European Union (COSAC) began today, which takes place between 24 and 26 March 2024 in the EP building, as part of the parliamentary dimension of the current Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The House of Representatives is represented at the Conference by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Mr. Harris Georgiades (leader) and the Members of Parliament, Mr. Marina Nikolaou, Mr. Chrysis Pantelidis and Mr. Kostis Efstathiou.
During the discussion, the head of the delegation, Mr. Charis Georgiades pointed out that the European agenda may set a wide range of common goals, such as environmental protection, gender equality and banking union, but, as he said, none of these goals will have any real meaning if freedom and democracy are not protected. He stressed that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call for Europe, however this was not an isolated event as there have since been pockets of destabilisation due to Islamic terrorist attacks in the Middle East as well as the ongoing threat to the territorial integrity of Armenia. She underlined that the establishment of a common European foreign, security and defence policy is an urgent need to defend liberal democracies from authoritarian regimes that pose a threat to democracy.
In the context of a debate on gender equality policy and the representation of women and men in parliaments, Ms. Nicolaou said that the balanced participation of women and men in politics is directly linked to the deepening of democracy and a fairer representation of society as a whole and that women are still under-represented both at the level of national parliaments and in other institutional offices. She added that their participation in socio-political action, trade unionism, mass organisations and social struggles is equally limited and that this is the real problem of women's absence from political life. It also showed that women bear the burden and responsibilities because of gendered social roles and that gender stereotypes and discrimination prevailing in society create obstacles for women who decide to get involved in public life. The Cypriot MEP stressed the need to take measures to eliminate the stereotypes and prejudices that are placed as obstacles for women to claim leadership positions, who also bear the burden of the absence of the welfare state. She also recalled the ongoing martyrdom of women victims of the 1974 invasion of Cyprus. Nicolaou stressed that at a time when reference is made to the women of the peoples of Europe, our thoughts and our eyes should be focused on the women of Palestine who suffer the merciless hammering of Israel, who are murdered every minute, who give birth in the streets and who watch their children die of hunger.
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