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Czech EU presidency to focus on human rights
The six month EU presidency, that as of January 1 is in the hands of the Czech Republic, has made a concrete committment to human rights.
di Staff
A number of events focused on human rights protection and support for gender equality will be held within the Czech Republic’s EU presidency in the first half of 2009, Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Dzamila Stehlikova said.
Stehlikova at the same time confirmed she would probably soon end in the ministerial post and that she therefore expected her successor to complete the prepared projects.
Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek is likely to announce the government re-shuffle within a week after the junior ruling parties, the Christian Democrats and the Greens debate on the proposed changes.
Stehlikova said her successor had already been selected, but she did not mention the name.
She noted that during the six-month presidency, the Czech Republic will, for instance, support the removal of barriers that complicate the life of the disabled.
Along with Sweden that will take up the EU presidency from Czechs, the Czech Republic plans to harmonise reliefs for the disabled valid in the EU member states. Other programmes and conferences will deal with the rights of senior citizens and children, Stehlikova said.
She said previously she would also like to push for equal opportunities for men and women during the Czech EU presidency. She would particularly like to improve living conditions of elderly women, and men’s participation in childcare and household care.
The Czech Republic will organise an international conference on these topics to be attended by ministers responsible for gender equality in May.
Stehlikova pointed out that women have worse conditions on the labour market than men, and consequently they often occupy lower posts and have lower salaries and pensions than men. Women often earn less than men even in the same position. Moreover, their career is limited by their care for family and children, Stehlikova added.
“I believe that the Czech presidency will be able not only to ‘pass the baton’ to Swedes with dignity, but also to submit a wide range of topics and propose a number of general European solutions that will push the protection of minorities, human rights and freedoms and support for equal opportunities a bit forward,” Stehlikova said.
Source: www.ceskenoviny.cz
