The European Parliament adopted a resolution on womens rights in the Balkan accession countries. It stresses the need for women in the Western Balkans to take a prominent role in society through active participation and representation at all levels of government and in political, economic and social life. Whilst the accession countries in the Western Balkans have adopted much of the legislation required in the EU accession process, Members note that this legislation is in many cases not being effectively implemented. They call on the Commission to make the implementation of womens rights, the mainstreaming of gender equality and the continuous fight against domestic violence a priority in the accession process of Western Balkan countries, by continuing to address these issues and to report on their implementation in progress reports.
Parliament notes with concern that women remain under-represented in the labour market as well as in economic and political decision-making. It welcomes quotas and calls on those countries that have not already done so to apply quotas effectively in political parties and national assemblies. Where gender quotas in political decision making have been introduced, they should be properly implemented and supplemented with effective legal sanctions.
Parliament recommends that Western Balkans governments:
Parliament goes onto note with deep concern that 30 % of the victims of cross-border trafficking in human beings in the EU are nationals of Balkan countries, and women and girls comprise the bulk of the victims detected. It calls on national authorities in the region to work together in creating a common front, and to provide sustained funding to combat trafficking.
Members consider that women play an essential role in stabilisation and conflict resolution, and they welcome the efforts of networks such as the Regional Womens Lobby to support women in peace-building and to promote access to justice for women in post-conflict countries.
Members underline generally the importance of awareness-raising campaigns in the fight against stereotypes, discrimination (gender-based, cultural, religion-based) and domestic violence. They call on the Commission and the governments of accession countries to foster awareness through the media, public campaigns and education programmes in order to promote female role models and womens active participation in all paths of life.
The EU delegations in the Balkan countries are asked to keep progress in the sphere of womens rights and gender equality under careful review in anticipation of future accession to the EU. Each delegation is asked to appoint a member of staff to deal with gender policies with a view to facilitating the exchange of good practice within the Balkan region.
Welcoming the increase in cross-border regional initiatives in the area of women's rights, Parliament calls on governments and the Commission to encourage the exchange of good practices arising from them, inter alia by employing the pre-accession funds and by making sufficient grants available to these initiatives.
Parliament then focuses individually on the seven countries in the Western Balkans Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro and Serbia which are at different stages of the process to become Member States of the European Union and formulates recommendations to address the gender equality issues in each country.