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In the Bureau Meeting
the integration of equal opportunities between women and men and
the implementation of a gender perspective (mainstreaming) adopted
by the Platform for Action in Beijing in 1995 were considered.
Therefore, this Bureau
Meeting :
- concludes that
the incorporation of a gender perspective into public policy
promotes equality, thus reduces the causes and effects of discrimination;
- urges to
this end that a gender perspective be incorporated into the
design and the implementation of public policies, which, beginning
with equality of opportunities, moves towards fairer outcomes
between women and men;
- considers
that public action is an inescapable tool to achieve the goal
of human development which includes an ever-increasing equality
between the sexes with the aim of modifying the hierarchical
nature of their relationship;
- believes that
it is necessary to acknowledge and respect gender issues, and
that these should be included in all plans, programmes and projects,
while acknowledging economic, cultural and territorial diversity;
- considers
that in order to achieve these objectives it is a necessary
precondition to enhance the contribution made by women, increasing
their number and guaranteeing their effective presence in decision-making
positions, implementing specific measures of affirmative action;
- welcomes
the plans for equality and the steps towards positive action
which have been taken in many countries in the course of the
last decade;
- considers
that these plans for equality and the measures for positive
action and statistics broken down according to gender constitute
an essential instrument for the achievement of greater equality
between the sexes and, as such, should be implemented in those
places where they have yet to be established;
- considers
that 'mainstreaming' is another step forward and an additional
approach to policies of positive action and is currently an
instrument not only towards promoting equality but also towards
making the female vision of life a fundamental part of governance.
In order to achieve this, a closer cooperation and coordination
between different sectors and new political players, including
NGOs, is necessary;
- underlines
that governments must create an internal structure responsible
for the follow-up and appraisal of the gender dimension in public
policies at national and local levels. This structure must be
implemented in each government service or cross-ministerial
level.
- points out that
if specific policies in favour of women are important for strengthening
gender equality, it is also necessary to take into account the
fact that women's approaches and experiences are vehicles favourable
to the transformation of the whole society, therefore providing
possibilities for the development of both genders;
- urges all
member parties of the Socialist International to adopt these
proposals, strengthening their commitment to a future of solidarity
incorporating greater equality and fairness between the sexes.
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