Category Archives: EU developments

Female commissioners call for gender equality in new Commission

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The Education Commissioner urged President Jean-Claude Juncker to appoint at least 10 women in his future new team. Currently, 9 out of 28 commissioners are women.

“We are now in the course of drafting a letter to be signed by all female commissioners addressed to the President Jean-Claude Juncker asking him to appoint at least 10 women in the next Commission I think this will be great for the new Commission.” said EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliou.

In an attempt to persuade national governments, Juncker promised to reward countries who appoint female candidates with a big portfolio or vice-presidency.

“The female Commissioners are very worried that the next Commission may not have sufficient number of women.” Vassiliou added.

President-Juncker will start discussions with governments on future commissioners and the distribution of portfolios.

Italy’s Foreign Minister Frederica Mogherini will replace Catherine Ashton as the EU’s head of foreign affairs while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will be the new president of the European Council.

7 days to Gender Quota Bill Introduction into Seanad

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Today’s News:

(1) Financial Times published a fine article “Female politicians point the way towards equality” by Rebecca Knight. Well worth reading because it’s full of reference to research evidence from India & information on the introduction of quotas in Mauritius, Lybia, Tunisia & Rwanda.  Strangely no mention of Ireland – probably because we haven’t yet introduced candidate selection quotas.

Concerning politics, the “Quota Project” and UK & US figures for % of female elected politicians are included.

As you’d expect, the FT broadened the discussion to the position of women in business – quoting research from  University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Harvard Business School & University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.

Susan Knight, FT, began:
“As debate rages over the use of gender quotas in the boardroom, an increasing number of countries are introducing them to further women’s representation in the political domain….”  Be sure to read the rest.

(2) Google Alert for “gender quotas” picked up a thought-provoking blogpost from “datbeardyman” Paul Bowler @datbeardyman – several comments there too.

(3) Valerie Keller, Founder & CEO, Veritas, heading to Davos, has a fine personal account of commitments to gender equality in corporate boardrooms in Huffington Post.  Not at all political – but the points she makes may help us think about the legacy women face & carry into the political arena.

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