News

Constantly feeling a gap between values in theory and reality is harmful to society. It is at best irritating and at worst depressing. Take for example equality between women and men. Last week was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. One in three women in the European Union has experienced some form of gender-based violence in their lives. After so many years of speeches against it, there is so much left to do. Gender-based violence can only be stopped with the commitment of men, but men have a tendency not to engage in areas perceived to be “women’s issues” and women’s organisations are not enrolling enough men. The question I would like to ask is what, as men, are we actually doing on a day-to-day basis to ensure equality in practice?

Firstly, it takes leadership and commitment to ensure equality in reality. I want us to breathe in the fresh air coming from Canada where the newly elected Prime Minister explained that he has appointed a gender-balanced cabinet “because it is 2015”. Yes, we already know all the reasons and values that justify equality, but we need to turn our words into actions. In contrast to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet of 15 women and 15 men, only two of the EU’s 28 Member States have achieved the same: Finland and France. Indeed, the European Commission itself only has nine out of 28 Commissioner posts filled by women, and only 37% of Members of the European Parliament are women.

Secondly, we need to bring about change on an individual basis. Last week I was in Luxembourg for the White Ribbon Campaign led by the European Institute for Gender Equality. As men we can embrace the campaign and take the pledge: “I pledge, by wearing a white ribbon, to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women. I promise to raise the issue of violence against women and to work towards ending the violence against women.”

And please, don’t wait to act. It should have been done yesterday and cannot wait for tomorrow. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr: “Somewhere we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals […] And without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the primitive forces of social stagnation. So we must help time and realize that the time is always ripe to do right.” These words are as true today as they were in 1968.

Let’s engage!

Pierre Baussand, Director