Manifesto

Manifesto – 10 years of INLW
Discussed, amended and approved at the General Meeting in Budapest, March 2002.

In 1979, in Ottawa, the Liberal International included, explicitly, the specificity of women in one of its resolutions. This same year, the United Nations approved the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

In 1980, in Berlin, the first resolution concerning the status of women was adopted, in which the Member Parties were urged to take the necessary steps to increase women’s participation.

In 1981, in the Congress of Rome, recommendations were adopted in order that equal opportunities between men and women was taken into account and tackled as one of the performance axis by the Member Parties.

In 1990, the International Network of Liberal Women was created, and it became part of the Liberal International in 1997.

Also in 1997, in Oxford, on the occasion of the celebration of the 50 anniversary of the creation of the Liberal International, the equal opportunities between men and women was included as one of the agenda’s pillars for the XXI century.

Women who have liberal principles have been working for the equal opportunities and rights for women worldwide, of no matter what cultural, social and economic condition.

The task carried out by the liberal women, together with the women worldwide, has had good results, and it has contributed to improve the situation and participation of women in all fields.

However, it is necessary to renovate the commitment by consolidating the advances, by fixing new objectives and carrying out the necessary strategies to achieve them, taking into account the new challenges that involve living in a global world.

With this aim, the members of the International Network of Liberal Women want the following:

We defend the respect and dignity of every human being.

We defend freedom of all, within the limits required to save-guard the freedom of others.

We want to strengthen and spread an open society.

We encourage collective and individual responsibility in every aspect of life. We promote sustainable development which respects our environment and ensures the well being of future generations.

That is why we intend to achieve the following:

Full respect for the rights of women as human rights; and policies that eliminate violence based on gender.

The individualisation of social rights favouring protection systems for women who lack an adequate income or pension or other financial support.

Equal opportunities for women in the labour market; establishing measures of positive action for women, eliminating the barriers and structural discriminations based on gender.

A compulsory educational system for boys and girls worldwide which favours access to global culture, including new responsibilities.

A new social contract between men and women based on respect for diversity and parity and shared rights and responsibilities.

A higher participation of women in decision-making and incorporation of a gender perspective in the analysis and resolution of cultural, social, political and economic processes and programmes.

Full implementation of the articles reached in the Treaty of Amsterdam, Council of Europe, Parliamentary Commissions and United Nations, concerning electoral systems which promote parity democracy. We see these as crucial in developing an active and balanced society, able to overcome problems deriving from the present democratic deficit.