Antonio TAJANI, EP President, opens the EP plenary session in Strasbourg, speaking about the human tragedy in Syria, as well as about women's rights.

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

Strasbourg

EU - Syria (T)

plenary session

speech

situation of Syrian refugees (T)

International Women's Day (T)

Introductory remarks on Syria's human tragedy and women's rights: extracts from the opening speech by Antonio TAJANI, EP President

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, No cause can justify the ethnic cleansing,barbarism, the massacre of innocents, in your name and on behalf of this institution I would launch a solemn appeal for the immediate implementation of the UN Security Council resolution, there is an absolute urgency for a sustainable cease-fire. Civilians have to be protected. The injured and the sick have to be evacuated. And security has to be the goal. All of this has to be done under the Geneva process. And everyone with any influence has to act in order to ensure that this tragedy comes to an end. Humanity is being lost in Syria. We can't loose our own humanity.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, It has been estimated that if women were excluded form the economy, it would cost 11 500 billion euro between now and 2025 in terms of growth. That is the combined GDP of Japan, Germany and the UK. We have to ensure gender equality in all areas of work. We need to ensure wage equality to guarantee more growth for the whole of the economy.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Over the last year we have seen a fights against woemn's stereotypes as the #MeToo campaign has shown. I would like to thank our colleagues for organising a petition of a 100,000 signatures that was given to me this afternoon. members of staff in the EP, men and women working here have also signed up, we have had over a 1,000 of them signing up. And I received a text of the petition this after noon. This evening the BUreau is likely to adopt a series of measures will fight any type of harassment, particularly sexual harassment with the institution.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, This isn't a fight by women against men, we have to fight together with women on a daily basis. We have a lot of way to go but we are all determined to get there. This iI think is the best message from the EP to its citizens on the 8th of March (International Women's Day).