Speeches

Mr President, in February 2020, we adopted a resolution on the abolition of female genital mutilation. In 2021, our German minister presented here in the European Parliament the protection letter, to protect girls from the diaspora when they travel to Africa. On 18 March 2024, the Gambian Parliament debated a proposal to repeal the national law banning female genital mutilation. If this bill is passed, The Gambia will become the first country in the world to reverse the ban on female genital mutilation. This would make female genital mutilation legal, set a dangerous precedent for women’s rights to be curtailed and also undermine Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to eradicate female genital mutilation globally by 2030. The legalisation of female circumcision would constitute a violation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, all ratified by The Gambia. On behalf of the young girls of the Diaspora and Gambia, on behalf of all the young girls, let us not turn a deaf ear to their distress and hear their cry from the heart, because neither the Koran – I am the daughter of Muslims – nor the Torah, nor the Bible require that a woman be excised.

Madam President, the renewed violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo risks destabilising the entire Great Lakes region, but also that of the SADC countries. Despite mediation efforts, the dialogue between the DRC and Rwanda aimed at relaunching the peace process is stalling. The belligerents remain in their position and persist in refusing to negotiate. They seem unwilling to comply with international humanitarian law and human rights. Hostilities continue between Congolese armies and rebel members of the M23. They have led to the flight of hundreds of civilians and aggravated the situation of vulnerable populations. Conflict and insecurity have disastrous consequences. Hate speech and xenophobia remind us of the tragedies that have taken place in this region. Humanitarian diplomacy is essential to ensure the protection of civilians and their access to vital services. We have no right to turn a blind eye to such a tragedy. The European Union must not forget this crisis, which risks inflaming an entire region and igniting a new front of conflict.

Mr President, in central Nigeria, the villages of Plateau state are in mourning after the Christmas Eve killings. Armed groups attacked some 20 villages, killing more than 160 people and injuring at least 300. Residents are still missing. However, the motive for this attack, on an unprecedented scale, remains uncertain, even though most of the victims are Christians. These despicable attacks disrupt coexistence between communities (breeders and farmers). Indeed, these armed groups have a history of tensions with Christian farmers in the region. This violence, against the backdrop of access to land, is exacerbated by climate change, social inequalities and growing poverty in rural areas. This region is often the scene of deadly tensions and conflicts over the exploitation of land and water resources between communities, aggravated in recent years by demographic pressure and environmental degradation, or even climate change. The succession of murders, followed by reprisals, has given rise in the region to heavy crime and the formation of gangs that conduct targeted expeditions to villages, where they loot, kill and abduct people. The case of Boko Haram remains vivid in memories: young girls were abducted to serve at the rest of the warrior of their attackers. In response, armed self-defence groups, often supported by local authorities and the army, have formed, themselves sometimes accused of abuse. This climate of insecurity extends to several regions in the north-west and centre of the country, which are the target of bandits who massacre and kidnap people, for whom they demand ransoms in order to continue their crimes. These attacks are serious human rights violations.

Mr. Speaker, in times of crisis and war, women and girls are often particularly exposed and vulnerable. They are therefore subject to violence, and we are surprised that rape does not appear in the catalogue of priorities and, above all, in the directive. My question is, first of all: How do you ensure that the particular vulnerability of women who are victims of intersectional discrimination is taken into account? My second question would be: Can you provide us with detailed initiatives or programmes to support this vulnerable group in a more targeted manner and to ensure effective protection? How do you intend to ensure that migration-related policies are gender-sensitive and specifically support the protection, integration and promotion of women’s self-determination in migration processes? In view of the worrying increase in the number of feminicides worldwide and in all regions – also in my Member State – I would like to know what concrete international cooperation and prevention measures are being taken at EU level to combat this form of gender-based violence.

Madam President, We must work together and resolutely against Islamophobia and anti-Semitic attacks. Discrimination based on religious beliefs has no place in our world. Hatred threatens our society and democracy by undermining freedom of expression. Both the Muslim and Jewish communities are not only part of our society, but have also shaped it significantly and made an important contribution to our world. Nevertheless, they had to and must endure immeasurable suffering because of their faith. We must therefore support civil society organisations in their struggle. The EU Action Plan is expected to be implemented beyond 2025. It must include an intersectional approach to all forms of discrimination, including Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. Member States are encouraged to implement it consistently in their national action plan.

– Madam President, more than 14 million Sudanese are living in emergency food insecurity as a result of the conflict that has ravaged this country for years. According to the latest estimates, more than 6 million people are at risk of starvation, or half of the population. The country has sunk into a staggering economic slump and communities are collapsing. The food security situation in Sudan was already dire before the conflict. It just got worse. In Sudan, the conflict has exacerbated an already deplorable hunger landscape fuelled by intercommunal violence, the economic crisis, soaring food prices and climate change. Despite the return of peace, malnutrition remains a haunting problem for people. It mainly affects women and children. We must therefore step up humanitarian aid by ensuring that it reaches the most vulnerable sections of society. The European Union has the tools to exercise diplomatic influence and mobilize resources that are a beacon of hope for those crying famine in Sudan.

Madam President, during the round table organised in Parliament on indigenous peoples and local communities by the late colleague Michèle Rivasi, the communities of Maasai alerted us to their plight. They accuse the government of wanting to evict them from their ancestral lands in favour of elite tourism: trophy hunting. The aim is to transform their habitat into safari or private hunting areas. This is the basis of the conflict that aims to force them to abandon these lands. The Maasai are displaced without their consent. These arbitrary displacements distance them from social and health services, access to water and pasture, as well as disrupt children’s education. These forced evictions are causing a serious humanitarian crisis and have a negative impact on the lives of the Maasai. The government’s voluntary relocation scheme violates their human rights and is prohibited by international law. I had to go with Michèle Rivasi and another colleague to Tanzania, but 24 hours before we left, the Tanzanian authorities decided to postpone our visit. I therefore urge the Commission to send an independent monitoring mission to ensure that human rights are respected in EU-funded initiatives, in particular the right to self-determination and the right to free prior consent of the Maasai.

Mr President, violence against women is the most shared human rights violation in the world, with around one in three women experiencing violence at least once in their lives, in the form of beatings and injuries, sexual harassment, or in the worst case, femicide or so-called ‘honour killing’. And it is all these forms that we are witnessing in Europe. In addition, child pornography, trafficking and the sequestration of women are fuelling the sex industry, which is experiencing an unprecedented economic boom. Although 125 countries condemn domestic violence because it has serious consequences for the psyche of victims and puts these women at risk, they are reluctant to legislate, as well as to introduce, for example, the concept of consent. Violence against a woman is an attack on her integrity, and it is also sometimes a weapon used in conflict regions. We must therefore wage a bitter battle to ensure that rape is included in the directive. Because rape, which is a non-consensual relationship, is a despicable crime. It must be integrated so that the EU becomes the continent that will have eradicated gender-based violence.

Madam President, if we do not develop measures to accelerate the pace, we will not achieve the SDGs by 2030. Halfway through, we see a clear failure. Achieving the implementation of this 17-goal agenda, which aims to create a safe world, requires stepping up efforts to reduce poverty, eradicate hunger, create decent jobs, provide access to quality education, achieve universal health coverage and gender equality, and end environmental degradation. We will not give up. To overcome this crisis and achieve the SDGs, we, the Members of the European Union, together with ACP Members of Parliament, want to set up a major project to accelerate the implementation of SDG 4 and SDG 5. This will be the ‘Maputo and/or ACP Charter’, which will focus primarily on combating violence against women and thus enable a focus on inequalities for women and girls while activating their empowerment, retention in school and increased political participation. We will ask the UN to accept this charter as a project to accelerate the achievement of these SDGs. We can't wait any longer, because 2030 is fast approaching.

Madam President, sexism, racism, homophobia are the discriminations that athletes face. But sport also helps to combat discrimination. The most symbolic example remains the fist lifted by African-American athletes at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Since then, a lot of water has flowed under bridges. The media coverage of the Women's Cup has given a new dimension and opens the debate. Rubiales' forced kiss scandal poses the crucial problem of sexual violence. This kiss is a sexual assault that we condemn, which also shows how high-level sportswomen are perceived in the world of sport. Until now, their performance has not been as valued as that of men. The remuneration they receive is significantly lower than that of their colleagues. Media interest has exposed the inequalities in women’s sport. Athletes train in deplorable conditions. We also remember the debate of the veiled sportsmen, who saw this ban as a form of intolerance and discrimination. The non-consensual kissing scandal overshadowed the debate over the women's victory. No, no! And that, Madam President, said yesterday. There is a need to increase the presence of women in sports institutions so that the voices of the players are heard. ‘Acabó’ is over, the silence of women, the lack of respect. No, it remains no, and no, it is also impunity.

Mr President, one year has passed since Mahsa Amini was murdered because of an unveiled strand of hair. For exactly 44 years, women have been the targets of the authoritarian regime, of this morality police who want to rule their lives and muzzle an entire people. One year later, nothing has changed. More than 20,000 protesters have been imprisoned as a result of peaceful protests; Torture and abusive arrests continue and European citizens are taken hostage as bargaining chips for diplomacy. All this is in fact a crime against humanity. The promotion of violence against women is intolerable, as is the poisoning of young girls, in order to force them to comply with the mullahs’ standards. The valiant Iranian women refuse the dictatorship of the mullahs who impose death and repression and their cry, ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’, rings out to this day, and we will chant it with them to prove our solidarity. We stand with them in the fight they are fighting at the cost of their lives. We will not stop supporting women in Iran until this deadly regime disappears and every woman in Iran can enjoy freedom.

Mr President, the European Union and Tunisia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to limit immigration from the African continent to Europe. This agreement, although it aims to save lives and put a brake on criminal smugglers, does not correspond to reality. Indeed, the ocean becomes the cemetery of all migrants. Hundreds of migrants are stranded in distress on the border between Tunisia and Libya. Others are brutally pushed back into the desert, without water or food. A real tragedy is being played out before our eyes. This agreement makes the European Union complicit in violations of the rights of refugees, and also accepts the repressive behaviour of Tunisia, but above all of its president, who pours his bile through racist and xenophobic remarks against migrants. I quote him, he speaks of ‘hordes of illegal migrants from sub-Saharan countries who have hatched a criminal plan, changed the composition of Tunisia’s demographic landscape and are said to have caused violence, crimes and unacceptable practices’. This agreement is against the values of humanism that characterise the European Union and respect for human rights.

Mr President, this report allows us to draw lessons and exposes our responsibility to the global South and to all those who have also suffered from this pandemic. African countries do not want charity, but the ability to produce their own vaccines. Renunciation of intellectual property rights is essential. During our missions to Africa, most countries lamented the lack of recognition of the traditional pharmacopoeia used by populations for treatment. The WHO and the European Union should support their development in order to transform this pharmacopoeia into therapeutic products. We must not forget all the people who have suffered from COVID, health workers, mostly women, especially migrant women, and people living with disabilities who have not had access to care. All those who have also had mental health problems. Partnership on an equal footing is a challenge to be addressed by the Pandemic Treaty. Europe has not been in solidarity with the Global South. The key issue is access to sustainable financing and the renunciation of intellectual property so that countries in the South benefit from technology transfer and can produce their own vaccines. Patent sharing is a necessity.

Madam President, the war in Sudan is having a negative impact on the most vulnerable populations, especially children. Since 15 April, the conflict in Sudan has claimed thousands of lives. According to the latest estimates, seven children are killed or injured every hour since the clashes began. More than 13.6 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance in the area of health. Indeed, there was an upsurge of diseases that had almost disappeared, such as measles. Given the many power outages, vaccines perish quickly and children can no longer be vaccinated. Thus, the death rate is constantly increasing. Around 3 million children suffer from malnutrition or dehydration. With the war, the situation got worse. Education is a major issue. Failure to attend school has consequences for children’s physical and mental health. In addition, 64 per cent of girls experience widespread sexual violence, and boys are forcibly involved in armed conflict. This violence is disastrous for all these children, who have nothing to do with the causes of the war. The Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces remain engaged in a deadly struggle for power, killing thousands of innocent civilians, displacing more than a million people and forcing half a million of them to flee to neighbouring countries. We welcome all efforts by regional and international bodies towards a peaceful solution. We call on the European Union and its Member States to increase humanitarian aid for people affected by the conflict. This assistance must also go to displaced persons and all those who have found refuge in border countries. We call for a ceasefire, a return of the belligerents to the negotiating table for peace, and the re-establishment of the democratic process. Let’s protect children in a region with one of the oldest cultures in the world.

Mr President! Vanessa Nakate is a Ugandan climate activist. She describes the consequences of climate change in her book ‘Africa’s voice in the climate crisis’. On the back of the book is a quote from Greta Thunberg. It reads as follows: “Vanessa reminds us that while we may all have fallen into the same storm, we are not all in the same boat”. The climate crisis is real, the consequences are already noticeable. However: The crisis is experienced by the Global South, which can do the least for it, far worse than the Global North. 10% of the world's population is responsible for a quarter of total CO2 emissions. We know that weather extremes caused by climate change hit those who are among the poorest in the world particularly hard. Droughts, famine, floods in the southern hemisphere of our planet have not impressed the part of the world's population that bears the greatest responsibility for climate change. Example: Last year 2,500 deaths in Uganda due to extreme drought, 1,700 deaths in Bangladesh due to flooding. The same storm: various lifeboats, often none at all. We must ensure in our behaviour that we think of all victims today and in the future. The EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis should serve as an opportunity for us to start an honest debate on climate justice.

Mr President, the MeToo movement founded by Tarana Burke in 2006 to support and strengthen young African-American women who have survived sexual violence has spread around the world. Thus, many victims took the floor to break the silence by telling their stories of sexual violence. These testimonies have led to new policies and legislation to prevent and combat all forms of sexual harassment, not to mention harassment in the workplace. Harassment prevention training in Parliament for Members and staff is optional. They should be made mandatory so that the issue of harassment is taken seriously. Harassment is a crime that affects the health and safety of women who are the main targets. This is a violation of their dignity. While some Member States condemn and punish harassment with severe penalties, this measure should apply throughout the European Union. Criminalising harassment as sexual or moral violence would be a first step towards common legislation, in line with the upcoming ratification of the Istanbul Convention. Collecting intersectional data on harassment and violence in the EU could help improve ongoing prevention and support for victims. The European Union and its institutions must implement the recommendations of the resolution. We want to achieve zero tolerance in our Parliament.

Madam President, the fierce fighting between the army and the paramilitaries fighting for power in Sudan has turned the country into a bonfire. At the origin of the conflict, the rivalry between two former allies who use this war to satisfy their personal ambitions of thirst for power. In the Committee on Development, we referred to the multiple humanitarian consequences of this new conflict, which has already caused the deaths of more than 400 people and plunged the country into chaos. Silver, or rather gold, is the nerve of war, with the discovery in 2012 of gold deposits located in Jebel Amer, which then come at the right time to replace South Sudanese oil declared independent and provide the State with the necessary revenue. However, the deplorable security conditions in the gold mines are blamed, as well as the low quality of the ore, corruption and smuggling. In such an atmosphere, the humanitarian situation, which was already very precarious, worsened considerably following the intense and relentless clashes. The deteriorating situation is marked by an increase in the number of civilian deaths, the destruction of health and communication facilities. A quarter of the population suffers from acute famine. Nearly 4 million people are displaced, 300,000 inside Sudan, and 100,000 to neighbouring countries such as Chad, the Central African Republic and Egypt, according to the UN, which expects eight times more refugees. Among the refugees, there is a considerable number of women. This exodus is therefore likely to destabilize neighbouring countries. Bombing and looting have spared neither hospitals nor humanitarian organisations. Many hospitals had to close due to the proximity of the fighting or the inability of staff to visit health facilities. Fighting is raging in the capital. In view of the needs, it is urgent that the calls for a truce are respected so that the operators... (The President withdrew the floor from the speaker)

Madam President, the Istanbul Convention is the first instrument in Europe to establish legal standards to combat violence against women. This debate on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, as we celebrate Europe Day, is a historic event that will go down in the annals of our history. Tomorrow will be a great day. We therefore welcome this legal act, which has been ratified by the majority of Member States. Only six states refuse to ratify the Istanbul Convention and thus violate the rights of their citizens. I'm saying, oh, well, I'm saying, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, The European Union, after 12 years, ratifies the Istanbul Convention that protects the human rights of all women and girls, including those who are marginalised or of different origin. The Istanbul Convention will be for everyone. There will be no questions of religion, skin colour or anything at all. It will protect us because violence is a universal scourge. It is violence that takes different forms: genital mutilation, forced marriages, rape, harassment... These are all forms that affect women. And now the perpetrators will have to be punished. The educational dimension of this convention will have a positive impact in the fight against violence. We will ensure that we can achieve zero violence tolerance.

Monsieur le Président, plus de la moitié des objets culturels qui font l’objet d’un trafic se trouvent en Europe. This is not by chance. This is the result of common history. When we talk about the illegal trade in cultural goods, we have to talk about topics such as colonialism, its consequences and the restitution of cultural goods – topics that are sought in vain in the European Commission's Action Plan. It is important to start where the tradition of illegal trade in cultural goods has its most recent origin. It is not for nothing that most of the illegal goods on the market come from countries that were once European colonies. Currently, hundreds of thousands of objects of ‘spoiled’, ‘stolen’ art – as experts call them – can be found in European museums or private collections. These goods are also being illicitly traded, although representatives of the countries of origin have been demanding their restitution for decades. This also applies to all countries dominated by a foreign power. I would therefore like to focus on African cultural goods, of which this is particularly the case. For several decades, there have been calls for the restitution of cultural property. Already in 1973, the then President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zaire, called in a resounding speech at the United Nations for the restitution of works of art stolen during the Belgian colonisation under Leopold II. The restitution report, published in 2018 by two researchers, highlights the need to first identify works of art in different states. Secondly, it is a question of determining how this restitution can be facilitated and accelerated by a law at European level, especially since 85% of Africa’s cultural heritage is located outside the continent. Some EU countries, such as Germany, France and Belgium, have been timidly returning stolen works. France handed over to Senegal the sword of El Hadj Oumar Tall, a prominent resister at the time of French penetration and religious leader of the Tidjaniyya Brotherhood. Belgium has returned a tooth of Patrice Lumumba, a national hero and former Prime Minister of the current Republic of Congo, whose body, dissolved in acid, has never been found. Recently, the German Foreign Minister handed Nigeria the famous bronzes from Benin. These symbolic gestures mark a first step. We need a European solution because the stolen works are found in all EU countries. It is therefore necessary to create a common European institute for research on the provenance of all these works of art, in which scientists from different continents would work together. This hidden chapter of European history needs to be updated. The story needs to be revised and it needs to address the sensitive, the annoying themes. It is also important that restitution does not take place in exchange for other politically motivated demands. Let us look uncompromisingly at the looted objects and hope that the action plan could play a considerable role in the restitution of works of art.

Madam President, the young Yahaya Aminu Sharif is a singer who, in a song, allegedly criticised the prophet of Islam and published the result on social media in August 2020, which led to him being sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy. Blasphemy laws are laws that, in practice, run counter to human rights. Since his conviction, the 24-year-old has been living in suspense – will the sentence be executed? His lawyers also challenged the judgment of the Kano court. They described the 2000 law of the Kano State Sharia Penal Code as contrary to the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and belief. We note that in recent years, blasphemy has been considered a crime in several countries with different religious beliefs. Blasphemy is therefore incriminated. By condemning this young man, one can ask the question: Is this not rather a repression likely to intimidate young people who aspire to more freedom and put artistic expression above religion – and this, in a country that wants, at least in the North, to be Muslim? We therefore call on the Nigerian authorities to show clemency, in this blessed month of Ramadan, and even to consider abolishing the death penalty throughout its territory. In all religions, forgiveness is a central value, incompatible with the death penalty.

Mr President, the situation in the Mediterranean is reaching a critical stage and is bordering on a human tragedy. If we do not act, since shipwrecks at sea follow one another at an unprecedented rate, let us not allow the Mediterranean to become a maritime cemetery for all refugees. People in distress have the right to be saved. It is a moral obligation of all the Member States of the European Union, and the sanctity of life must take precedence over all other considerations. It is therefore up to the Member States, within the framework of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, to put in place a coherent policy based on the values we advocate and not to allow thousands of people to perish at sea. The arrests, detention centres and all kinds of abuses in Italy are contrary to our policy, which is tinged with humanism. We cannot endorse such a policy. The Pact on Immigration and Asylum devotes a large part to protecting the borders of the European area. The European Union must come up with a solution, a common response that demonstrates our solidarity with those we welcome with respect for their dignity. There is an urgent need for a humanitarian policy. Save human lives!

I'm going back to Erasmus+. Do young people living here among us, but who do not have a European nationality, have access to Erasmus+? Do they have the opportunity to participate in this program? This is a question I have been asked everywhere. I know that this has been extended to African countries and I also said it two weeks ago in Kenya. But those who are here in the European Union, that is the problem. There are many who do not have a nationality of the European Union. Do they have access to Erasmus+? Because one of them told me that he was rejected. That is why I would like to know what it really is.

Madam President, in 2022, the European Year of Youth gave rise to a series of initiatives and events in which we participated by inviting young people from our Member State, especially from the Erlangen-Nuremberg region, and also from Belgium. And we have written many articles about it. All these young people want to be involved in decision-making, but they also want to know the opportunities available to them. So I give you their questions, especially in the area of the housing crisis. What policies are being developed to specifically limit the homelessness of young people in general and that of young migrants in the EU in particular, given that in most cases they only have access to unpaid traineeships? And do young people who do not have a European nationality, but who live among us, have the opportunity to have access to European projects aimed at young people?

Mr President, as a black woman, elderly, living with a disability, which may not be seen at first sight, the disability of life, I know what it is like to live with and suffer at all times not only discrimination, but also discrimination from people who are not expected to. That is why this directive that I have been hearing about for years – I have been hearing about this directive for 15 years – why are we not putting it in place? What prevents it from being put in place? Can one state, two states, three states block it all the time? And why are we here in Parliament not trying to react and say no, no to racism, no to discrimination? Discrimination in all its forms, be it discrimination on grounds of age, disability or race. And it is discrimination that we face not only in our schools, not only in terms of work and housing, but also in our schools, in our administrations and sometimes also with the police, as I have experienced myself. That is why I want Ms Dalli to be able to successfully implement this directive this year. It is time, Madam, for this directive to be implemented within the European Union so that we can build a world without discrimination. A world where all people, whatever their nature, can live here in Europe and thrive.

Madam President, the situation of sexual and reproductive rights defenders is serious in Poland. Yesterday, March 14, activist Justyna Wydrzyńska appeared in court. She is accused of illegally helping a woman to have an abortion. Justyna was sentenced to eight months of community service for illegal abortion assistance by the Polish court. Human rights defenders are calling for the right to abortion and the right to have one’s own body. However, they are victims of violence and stigmatization. They face challenges of all kinds. Harassment online and in the media. Such a climate makes their work and commitment very difficult. The European Union has a moral obligation to speak out against such abuses. Its deafening silence opposes the values of solidarity we advocate. It is our duty to denounce such a sanction. As we said in New York, we need to protect women fighting for their rights.