On the occasion of the International Women's Day on 8 March 2009 and in view of the forthcoming European elections the European Disability Forum (EDF) launched its "gender proof European elections Manifesto" stressing the situation of women with disabilities in the European Union and adding the gender angle to our TOP 10 demands to the candidates in the European elections and their political parties.

With the launch of the "gender proof manifesto", EDF also support the European Women's Lobby 50/50 Campaign "No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality". This European wide Campaign aims to increase the presence of women at the highest level of European politics and to encourage women to cast their votes in the next European elections. The Campaign is already personally endorsed by a number of well known personalities from across Europe, such as European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission Vice President Margot Wallström, Prime minister of Belgium Yves Leterme, President of the Slovenian Republic Danilo Turk, former Irish President Mary Robinson, Nobel Price winner Orhan Pamuk, and former President of the European parliament Simone Veil.

 

Margot Wallström: Vice President of the European Commission stated: "Change the family photo of the EU: Women make up half the electorate - logically we should also make up half the politicians and policy-makers. A representative democracy without gender equality is a contradiction in terms."

 

Sign the Campaign on www.5050democracy.eu