Equal opportunities and rights

The May issue Europe Infos encompasses a wide range of themes addressed in recent months by the European Commission, notably the initiative of Commissioner Reding in defense of female quota in senior executive positions; the Rio+20 Conference on sustainable development; debates on EU legislative initiatives regarding Congolese minerals, and the new EU strategy for animal protection; the situation of Morocco and its partnership with the EU in support of the national strategy in the field of energy. A report examines the initiative on human rights and terrorism launched by the European Parliament. The open-ed by Fr. Piotr Mazurkievic, COMECE Secretary General, focuses on an “ethical” Charta oecumenica.Women in executive positions. Last year, the vice-president of the European Commission, Viviane Reding, asked companies listed on the stock exchange in the EU to sign the declaration “Women on the board pledge for Europe” by March 2012. Signatories would thus contribute to reach the target of 30% female board members by 2015 and 40% by 2020. The number of signatories as of the end of February was 24. The Commissioner thus launched a public consultation “Gender imbalance in corporate boards in the EU”, with deadline on May 28. Studies and researches highlight “economic advantages when there are more women holding positions in the highest decision-making roles. Commissioner Reding pointed out: “the glass ceiling, keeps decision-making roles out of reach for women. My commitment for change will develop in agreement with the European Parliament and all Member States”. According to Anna Echterhoff, from the COMECE Secretariat, research and analysis into the causes of low shares of women in leading positions, this also means that those women who choose to devote themselves exclusively to their families should be equally recognised, as John Paul II wrote already in 1995, Etchterhoff pointed out.Rio+20 and the EU. In a month Rio will again be the “world capital of sustainable development” under the United Nations Conference called “Rio+20”. Among the fruits of the Rio Conference in 1992, figures the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the basis of all subsequent international negotiations on climate change of the past two decades. Jose Ignacio Garcia Jimenez (Jesuit Social Centre, JESC) writes: “the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals is quite unbalanced regionally, and in the so-called fragile states is not successful at all”. As relates to Europe, the first strategy dates back to 2001, renewed in 2006 and in 2009. According to periodical reports by Eurostat the only positive indicators are linked to greenhouse gas emissions. The proposal from the EU to Rio+20 Conference “is focused on three axes: investing in the sustainable management of key resources and natural capital; establishing the right market and regulatory conditions; and, improving governance and private-sector involvement”, pointed out Fr. Jimenez, adding a set of criticisms to the European document, described as being “not strong enough” and generic: attributing too much emphasis to the market, as if it were capable of solving all problems alone; insufficient focus on regulations; scarcely realistic when it comes to governance; disappointing as relates to the acknowledgement of the social responsibility of enterprises.Human rights and terrorism. Past April 13, the Subcommittee on human rights of the European Parliament held a conference on the relationship between the fight on terrorism and the protection of human rights. On the aftermath of 9/11 the presidency of G.W. Bush, adopted an ‘extraordinary rendition’ system whereby terrorism suspects were transferred, secretly detained and interrogated outside the USA, explained Jessica Nitschke (JESC), violating international regulations regarding civil and political rights. According to the Subcommittee 1245 secret transfers by airplane operated by the CIA entered European airspace between 2001 and 2005, which implies that Member States have collaborated with the US’s alleged procedure of illegally abducting or arresting people. One victim invited to the conference had been mistaken for a terrorist, and spoke about the torture inflicted on him. It emerged that there is an urgent need to for democratic states to protect human rights even- or especially – when confronting terrorism.Legislative initiatives relating to “blood minerals”. Emmanuelle Devuyst, JESC, coordinated an in-depth survey in the South of the Democratic Republic of Congo, studying new European legislation in defense of the Congolese population, its minerals, peace and national stability.