‘The European Central Bank should not be a man’s world’ – Sharon Bowles MEP (South East Region Liberal Democrats)

South East Region Liberal Democrats <info@southeastlibdems.org.uk>

‘The European Central Bank should not be a man’s world’ – Sharon Bowles MEP

January 31, 2012 12:50 PM
Originally published by Sharon Bowles MEP

The Chair of the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, Sharon Bowles MEP, has raised concerns that the European Central Bank is dominated by men.

Ms Bowles, who was recently re-elected Chair of ECON, said:

"The ECB is one of the EU institutions where gender balance is most blatantly disregarded. There is currently not a single woman on the Executive Board, nor the Governing Council or the General Council.

"One has to ask why important and influential EU bodies such as the ECB systematically fail to select female candidates. The argument that there are no qualified women for these positions cannot be taken seriously.

"I call on all parties to consider the institutional shortcomings that lead to the systematic absence of women in this crucial area of EU policy and to remedy this situation now.

"Experience shows that an approach of always seeking both a male and female candidate eventually brings success. It is intolerable that an appropriate strategy has not yet been developed."

ENDS