And the fight against violence are priorities for MEPs as the world marks International Women's Day. We speak to MEPs Antonyia Parvanova and Kartika Liotard.

Talking point: The fight for equality

For many women, and men,  International Women's Day on March 8th

offered a chance to focus  on a host of inequalities

which, despite the promises and pledges,  persist in Europe and beyond.

Jobs and wages inequality,  cradle to grave gender stereotyping,

Kartika Liotard from the Netherlands  and Antonyia Parvanova from Bulgaria.

First, the many-faced scourge  that shadows women everywhere:

This has been a problem for centuries.  It's not that easy.

There are cultural, traditional  and religious practices

and without effort from everybody to agree

that violence against women  is a breach of human rights

Changing behaviour  and everybody participating in this campaign

and the second very important step,  to remain disciplined

in punishing the perpetrator  without any exclusions or excuses.

What other problems do women face  and what are the roots?

When you look at work you see  that there is still an imbalance.

In decision-making jobs,  only 12% are women.

In the higher paid jobs, for example,  there are far more men.

In the jobs where women are in the  majority, 70% are jobs that are paid less.

Progress on women's rights has been slow.  What are today's solutions?

I'm in support of quotas  because I'm a very pragmatic person,

not just being a woman  but being a medical doctor,

and if something is not resolved by itself  or by the efforts made so far,

I believe the next step should be taken.

If for so many years the states have not  reached a better representation of women,

or an equal representation  of women, on boards,

If we had more women, we probably  wouldn't have the economic crisis

because there is scientific proof actually

that women take wiser  and more responsible decisions.

and, secondly, people should not forget that  there is still a problem with stereotyping.

So give good information, start already  at schools with programmes

which do not push girls in one direction  and boys in another.

And I think the media  and especially commercials

in which you still see women used  as sex objects and things like that...

as it's mostly the young people who you can  teach to live without gender stereotyping.