Ref: INI/2004/2218, The impact of gender differences in the matter of public health
Rapporteur: Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/GNL, Sweden)
Procedure: Initiative
Summary: the proposal aims to highlight and to raise awareness about gender differences in the matter of public health.
Link: Final report
Updated: November 2005
7 September 2005
The Parliament rejected by 244 votes against, 173 for and 149 abstentions the Svensson report. Members were unable to reach agreement on a certain number of sensitive points such as the risk entailed in the harvesting of egg cells, removal of all funding for human cloning or improvements in working conditions in the health services.
14 July 2005
The own-initiative report on gender discrimination and the health system was adopted was adopted by 21 votes to 2, with 5 abstentions.
The report urges improved measures to fight breast cancer. Comprehensive screening programmes in accordance with EU guidelines exist in only nine Member States (Belgium, Finland, France, Spain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary and the United Kingdom). The FEMM Committee wants the other Member States to make mammography screening at two-yearly intervals available to all women aged 50-69. Regular screening can reduce breast cancer mortality by up to 35% among women in this age group.
Lastly, the report calls for research into different areas relating to gender and health and the use of gender-disaggregated statistics and data in all health and medical services. It also stresses the importance of developing the gender perspective in health strategies on national and European level.
30 March 2005
The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM Committee) hosted a public hearing entitled "The impact of gender differences in the matter of public health".
The hearing was chaired by Dr Anna Záborská, MEP and chairwoman of the FEMM Committee, and organised by Ms Eva-Britt Svensson, Swedish MEP.
The hearing, mainly focusing on women’s health, concluded that:
- Women’s discrimination remains a major barrier in the matter of public health;
- More statistical research about women’s discrimination in the field of public health is needed;
- Awareness about women’s health issues should be raised both at national and European level;
- Action should be taken and policies should be developed at EU level to improve women’s health.
The public hearing was the starting point to a report drafted on her own initiative by Ms Svensson, which is planned to be discussed on 26 May 2005.
