Press release, 4 April 2013

With the approaching Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Members of the European Parliament Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), which was the first of the EP Committees to visit the Seimas, and representatives of the Lithuanian Parliament discussed the human rights situation in Lithuania, social security issues and Lithuania’s preparedness for the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality under the leadership of Mikael Gustafsson, Chair of the Committee, came to Lithuania according to the plan for the 2013 EP Committee visits approved by the Bureau of the European Parliament and met with Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas and Chair of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs; Kristina Miškinienė, Chair of the Seimas Committee on Social Affairs and Labour; Leonard Talmont, Chair of the Seimas Committee on Human Rights, and other Members of the respective Committees.

Chair of the Committee Gustafsson notes that Members of the FEMM Committee traditionally pay a visit to a country, which prepares for the Presidency of the Council of the EU, and are interested in the activities planned in the area of gender equality and the human rights situation in the country. The MEP says that the FEMM Committee believes that gender equality may be incorporated into all the topics of primary importance. Mikael Gustafsson underlines that there is still a lot to be achieved by all 27 Member States may achieve a lot in the area of gender equality and emphasises that violence against women is one of the key topics currently under consideration in the EP Committee.

Gediminas Kirkilas, Chair of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs, gave an overview of the human rights situation in Lithuania and reminded that Lithuanian women were among the first in Europe to get the right to vote. Nevertheless, Gediminas Kirkilas stresses that currently our country faces with such sensitive issues as domestic violence against women, striking a balance between family life and work for women and men, and deep-rooted patriarchal attitudes. Therefore, Kirkilas considers that gender equality and equal opportunities are both the priority and the policy principle for the incumbent social democratic Government. “The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party has set a proper example in Lithuania. So far, it has been the only political party which has set gender-based quota for its candidates in elections The Lithuanian Social Democrats also support many gender equality measures in politics and business that have been tested in Northern Europe”, the politician says.  

Chair of the Committee Kirkilas rejoices that the Lisbon Treaty gave more powers to the European Parliament and to the national Parliaments in the EU decision-making process. “I hope that during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council, the Seimas’ contribution, made in cooperation with the European Parliament, will be significant in implementing the Lithuanian priorities and communicating the human rights message to Lithuania and all Europe”, the Chair of the Committee underlines.

Leonard Talmont, Chair of the Seimas Committee on Human Rights, emphasises that Lithuania has very old and strong legal traditions in the area of women equality. “In terms of gender equality, Lithuania has had the most advanced legal system and traditions since the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania“, the Chair of the Seimas Committee on Human Rights sais and notes that a modern Lithuanian woman is actively engaged in public life. Leonard Talmont considers that challenges, like in many other European countries, continue to persist in Lithuania. Striking a balance between family life and work for women, a pay gap between men and women for the same work, better positions in the labour market for men, frequent domestic violence against women and sex slavery are among the unresolved problems enumerated by the Chair of the Committee on Human Rights. He also adds that protection against domestic violence and human trafficking are the most relevant issues within the remit of the Committee. Leonard Talmont stresses the importance of NGOs in addressing gender equality issues.  

Kristina Miškinienė, Chair of the Seimas Committee on Social Affairs and Labour, underlines that despite numerous pieces of legislation adopted and international documents ratified by Lithuania in the area of equal opportunities, higher employment, equal opportunities for men and women and social exclusion still are to be considered by the Seimas in the near future.

At the meeting, the Members of the European Parliament expressed interest in the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, problems related to employment, especially youth unemployment and emigration, the balance between professional activity and family life, the pay gap between men and women and human trafficking. Moreover, the guests asked about the status of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (also known as the Istanbul Convention) that is currently under consideration in Lithuania.

 The delegation from the European Parliament Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality: Mikael Gustafsson (Sweden), Chair of the Committee, Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left (GUE); Edit Bauer (Slovakia), Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) (EPP); Britta Thomsen (Denmark), Zita Gurmai (Hungary) and Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (Lithuania), Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (S&D); Justina Vitkauskaitė (Lithuania), Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

Rimas Rudaitis, Public Relations Unit, tel: +370 5 239 6132, e-mail: [email protected]