speech

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

International Women's Day (T)

president's agenda

EUWomen4Future: extracts from the opening speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Arrival of Roberta METSOLA, EP President Handshake with participants : EdiliaGanz, Michaela Brchnelova and Maria Fatima Lucas Meeting with Mariya GABRIEL, EU Commissioner - Family photos

SOUNDBITE (English), Mariya GABRIEL, EU Commissioner, So during today's discussion, we'll learn about the impact different European initiatives supporting gender equality has hit and their concrete ideas on further actions in the sphere of culture, innovation, science, education. One of these initiatives was the social media campaign European Women for Future that we launched two years ago. So yes, our young women and girls can lead the merits being put on the spotlight. Please help us to spread their messages by engaging in social media, in your contacts, in your exchanges. Now you, President of the European Parliament. I know that this topic is very important for you, though, I'd like to invite you to share your message with us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Before I start, as you also did Maria, I must take this opportunity to comment the incredibly brave women of Ukraine. This has to be the thread that connects our events today as we celebrate. Can we even use the word celebrate today, which is a day where we look at the successes, the achievements, but also where we are very, very far away from reaching our goals in Europe, both in our member states and in countries that border our member states that need our help today. When we talk about education, this is female dominated. Yes., but systematically undervalued. When we talk about sports, you have women who are stereotyped as being weak and vulnerable; in culture and arts, women are too often still portrayed as muses for male audiences.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, This European Parliament has also long been calling for the removal of all socio cultural, psychological, biological and educational barriers that limit women from taking up careers in male dominated industries without compromising women's freedoms to take and make decisions. First of all, we must focus on female empowerment and eliminating gender biases through education. But these are not enough. They must be coupled with adequate incentives, support mechanisms and targeted measures for women to enter, but then also professionally advance in these sectors.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And once entering these industries, we need to make sure that no women becomes yet another statistic in the gender pay gap .This is why this house also stands behind the swift adoption of the Pay Transparency Directive, and we need to ensure that the principle of equal pay for equal work between women and men is truly applied because in Europe, your salary should never be conditioned by your gender.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, So my promise to you? On International Women's Day is that this house will not rest until we have achieved a Europe of equal opportunities. Let us not wait until we meet again on the 8th of March again before we talk about this. These discussions and these ways that we can improve not only this house, the women that work in this house. Everybody who works in this house. But every young person in Europe looking to us for leadership. (Applaus)