Roberta Metsola, the president of the EU Parliament responded to WIDE+’s letter to promote peace in Ukraine and beyond. In the letter she suggests that the Parliament agrees with many of our recommendations, in particular stressing the important role of women and local civil society in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and in peacebuilding. She responds: “The European Parliament strongly agrees that there can be no promotion of peace, nor peace building, without taking gender-equality into account both in the short and long term measures to respond to conflict situations“.
The letter also provides information on steps that the Parliament have taken, including a recent resolution on the impact of the war against Ukraine on women in which the parliament calls for more actions to address trafficking and intersected discrimination, to ensure access to sexual and reproductive health rights, and stresses the need to support the work of local and women’s rights civil society.
A selection of the concrete steps taken by the Parliament have been:
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- “Last month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the impact of the war against Ukraine on women (https://www.europarl.europa.
eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2022- 0206_EN.html) where it shared many of your concerns. By using its strong political voice, the European Parliament is a key player in the dialogue with Member States to defend the equal rights of all women in Europe. Deploring that many women have seen their condition deteriorate due to the lack of proper psychological and health care, this House has consistently called upon Member States to set up support programmes and to offer access to sexual and reproductive health services”.
- “Last month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the impact of the war against Ukraine on women (https://www.europarl.europa.
- “In 2020, the European Parliament passed a resolution (https://www.europarl.europa.
eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2020- 0286_EN.html)EP Plenary session – General view of the hemicycle Strasbourg, 2-5 May 2022where it called for a recurrent training gender mainstreaming for all middle and upper managers in the EEAS, the EU diplomatic services and the Heads or Commanders of CSDP missions and operations. lt also insisted that the composition of the staff should be equal between women and men. The European Parliament is more committed than ever to supporting gender sensitive-diplomacy and this is what we did by bringing the voice of our citizens to Kiev on 1 April [2022]”. 
EP Plenary session – General view of the hemicycle Strasbourg, 2-5 May 2022 - “The European Parliament expressed outrage and a prompt reaction to the increasing reports of trafficking. Recognising that the three words to combat trafficking in human beings are awareness raising, registration and accessibility, we strongly call for additional investments to set up an EU-wide helpline for refugees who are trafficked or at risk of trafficking. Under the existing anti-trafficking legislation, this House relays the recommendations of the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, on the need to register entities providing shelter and transport to refugees in order to mitigate the risk of trafficking [which is one of the steps taken]”.
