Abstract

This article is about gender equality in the process of decision making at the EESC, which is an advisory body of the European Parliament. As the embodiment of civil society in Europe, the role of the EESC is to promote participatory democracy and the values upon which European integration is founded. But women are rarely members of EESC. In fact women represent 51% of society, if they do not have an equal representation -in effect the majority is being turned into the minority. If we accept that democracy is a mere concept and not reality, then we do not have gender balance in the decision-making process, which leads to policies being set by men for men. Gender equality is a fundamental right and a common value in the EU. The following is a unique compilation of views, articles and opinion expressed by Madi Sharma in her work as an entrepreneur, a member of the European Economic and Social Committee and a freelance journalist.