8
Mar
2022
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International Women’s Day – Address by Oksana Zabuzhko
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, thank you to Oksana Zabuzhko for her words, for her testimony. Today my thoughts can only be directed to women of all ages who live in armed conflicts, who are forced to displacement and migration, to live in fragility and any situation that can aggravate inequalities and discrimination. The turbulence of all kinds that crosses our planet continuously threatens social and economic achievements whenever they compress the democratic, civil and ethical space in which our being women manifests itself. We have already experienced how the impact of the pandemic has had disproportionate repercussions on the situation of women, affecting labour market participation, increasing precariousness, unemployment, exacerbating the wage gap and leading to penalties due to increased family and care responsibilities. Gender-based violence in all forms, both online and offline, also continues to remain a drama, significantly affecting the exercise of rights, physical and mental health. Its prevention, prosecution, protection and support mechanisms for victims always require continuous and constant efforts and resources. It can only alarm the backlash over abortion legislation and the right to decide responsibly about one's sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, without coercion and abuse. The issue of gender mainstreaming in European Union legislation and parliamentary activities is another step towards equal rights, which must allow one's diversity to be free to live one's life and achieve it while enjoying equal opportunities. The reflection that accompanies this celebration every year finds its deepest meaning in renewing the commitment of all to the fight against the removal of structural and cultural obstacles that limit participation in decision-making processes and generate inequalities in the path of women's emancipation. The promotion of equality, which is not only a fundamental value of the Union, is a human right, but remains the condition for building a society that can guarantee equality, well-being, peace and security.