Foreign Minister on International Women’s Day - continue to challenge and promote

"Women and girls who are aware of their talents and go through life with self-confidence - they make me feel confident", said Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik on the occasion of the International Women’s Day on March 8. Plassnik: "I am pleased to see progress, yet I shall continue to challenge and promote women. There are still zones where women are scarce or non-existent. In the parliaments as legislators, at the helm of media and corporations, and in politics - from the municipalities to the United Nations. For example, only 78 of the 2,357 mayors in Austria are women. It cannot and will not stay that way."

The Foreign Minister added that "Not of the same kind, but with equal rights and of equal value. Although it sounds so simple, even women in Europe hat to fight to achieve it. After small and minute successful steps, the last 30 years have brought significant progress. And even in this minimal period in the history of mankind, what is natural was never self-evident."

"Every society that wants to use its potential to the full must recognize and value women’s contribution ", stressed Plassnik. "The brunt of the burden for keeping our societies together still bears on the shoulders of women. Be it in the family, in the village, in the city, or at the workplace. Women still feel responsible for taking care of the others. They at any rate deserve more respect and esteem for this - in Austria, in Europe or in the global village."

Plassnik: "We are currently at a decisive crossroads. Women and men must face together the major challenges of a globalized world - peace, security, climate change, environmental protection, and combating poverty. This is the only way to effectively secure a better future for our children and grandchildren. It must be possible for women to participate in decision making and in determining the shape of things to come, by applying the entire spectrum of their specific experiences and abilities."

The Foreign Minister added that "women at the top are not just a model for others. They should also be encouragers for other women. I am committed to making the contribution of women in peace building more visible and to strengthening women’s networks in politics, media, business, and the civil society. By organizing women’s conferences on the Middle East and Kosovo last year, Austria was able to set particular trends and activate existing networks."

"Improving the position of women is a central focus of the Austrian Development Cooperation", emphasized Plassnik. "This work ranges from education and health care to legal advice and social empowerment of women. Austria also supports a UNIFEM programme on gender budgeting in Southeast Europe. Only when it is known whether state funds take into account women’s priorities and serve the equal gender treatment can governments be held accountable for their budget policy."

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