Valsts prezidentei Vairai Vīķei-Freibergai vakar, 15.jūnijā, Berlīnē Pasaules sieviešu līderu sanāksmes laikā, kurā piedalījās ministres, parlamentu vadītājas un uzņēmējas no 95 valstīm, tika pasniegta Pasaules sieviešu līderības balva.
Pateicoties par godpilno apbalvojumu, prezidente stāstīja klātesošajiem par Latvijas dzimumu vienlīdzības tradīcijām, kas sniedzas līdz pat valsts dibināšanas pirmssākumiem un bija tam laikam vienas no progresīvākajām Eiropā, paredzot sievietēm tiesības vēlēt un ieņemt vēlētus amatus. Prezidente tāpat informēja, ka Latvijā ar tās augstāko iekšzemes kopproduktu ES, pēc Eurostat datiem, ir arī augstākie dati sieviešu pārstāvniecībā nozīmīgos amatos publiskajā sektorā – 44 %. V.Vīķe-Freiberga tomēr norādīja, ka valstī joprojām ir samērā mazs sieviešu ministru skaits un sievietes lēmumu pieņemšanas amatos, un izteica cerību, ka situācija šajā ziņā pamazām uzlabosies gan Latvijā, gan citur pasaulē.
Prezidente uzsvēra, ka cilvēka vērtība, neraugoties uz piederību kādam dzimumam, ir fundamentāla, un neviena valsts nevar pilnvērtīgi attīstīties, ja tajā neievēro sieviešu tiesības un viedokli. Prezidente arī nosodīja autoritāru režīmu bieži tik izteikto patriarhāta darbības stilu, uzspiežot sabiedrībā diskriminējošus stereotipus, kas turpina iespaidot dzimumu lomu sadalījumu.
V.Vīķes-Freiberga izteica runā gandarījumu par to, ka gan lieli, gan mazi uzņēmumi pasaulē sāk arvien vairāk apzināties, ka ekonomiskā izaugsme nevar notikt uz cilvēktiesību rēķina, tajā skaitā uz sieviešu tiesību neievērošanas rēķina, un ka sievietes var pilnā mērā iekļauties lēmumu pieņemšanas procesos.
Prezidente aicināja turpināt sanāksmes tradīciju, kas ļauj caur kontaktiem ar citām sievietēm no visas pasaules rosināt un iedrošināt ikvienu uz uzņēmējdarbības sākšanu vai jaunas pieredzes un kontaktu iegūšanu.
Address by H.E. Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, President of Latvia, at the Global Summit of Women, Berlin, June 15th 2007
President Natividad, (Irene Natividad, President, Global Summit of Women)
Honourable ministers,
Distinguished businesswomen,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am greatly honoured to receive this year’s Global Women’s Leadership Award from the organizers of this most distinguished “Davos of Women” forum.
It is a great pleasure to be here among that vast crowd of extremely successful, bright and committed women, women that have achieved so much in their own lives and women that have yet so much to accomplish in order to make a world a better place, but most of all to make the world a place were men and women can exploit and enjoy their talents without any barriers standing in their way.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am pleased to say that in matters that concern the role of women, my country compares quite favourably to many others. Upon declaring their independence from Russia in 1918, Latvia and Estonia were among the first nations in Europe to accord women both the right to vote and the right to stand for elected office. Only four other countries – Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland – had preceded us in according women the right to vote.
This foresight on the part of my country’s legislators may have been partially due to the fact that female business and charity activities have had deep historical roots in Latvia. Nearly a century-and-a-half ago, the Latvian Charitable Society of Riga, under the direction of Katrina Dombrovska, assisted orphans, invalids, the elderly and the destitute, providing them with access to medical facilities and free food and shelter at the time when the government did not do such kind of thing. Ms. Dombrovska was an energetic woman whose many undertakings challenged the prevailing stereotypes and attitudes about women and their abilities.
Feminist ideas were also prominent in Latvia’s arts during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The well-known poet and playwright Aspazija was among those intellectuals who helped to forge a modern, Latvian national identity. Throughout her writings, her plays, her poetry, the emancipation and empowerment of women were recurring themes and it left a deep impact on whole society, men as well as women. The notions that Aspazija espoused at that time are still relevant today: a modern democracy cannot flourish without respecting and promoting the role of women in all areas of life without exception.
The advent of two world wars in the 20th century, along with the hardships imposed by five decades of Soviet occupation placed tremendous responsibilities on the shoulders of Latvia’s women. Many of them had to sustain themselves and their families either because their husbands had been sent to the front lines by foreign occupying forces, killed, shot, tortured, or deported to die of hard labour, cold and starvation in the Northern Gulags of the Soviet Union. Not just lonely mothers, but also grandmothers left alone had to raise young children on their own. By rising to the challenge of whatever was required of them, Latvia’s women showed how stereotypes could best be broken by simply going beyond them. In Latvia and elsewhere throughout the world, women today are furthering their own cause by accepting responsibility whenever it is offered to them and showing through their success that they can handle it and they can handle it so frequently better than men. God, bless them all.
I am pleased to say that during the 16 years of fundamental change and transformation that have passed since the restoration of my country’s independence, women have been assuming an increasingly important role in both the private and public sectors. According to Eurostat, Latvia has the highest proportion of female public sector executives in the EU, at just over 44%. In comparison, slightly less than 30% of executives are women in Sweden.
However, while these statistics are encouraging, they do not present the full picture, for while the majority of employees in a number of Latvian government ministries are women, only a minority of them are high-ranking decision makers and this is in so many parts of the world. Most of the highest posts in government are still held by men, and women are mainly responsible for the implementation of decisions made by who else than men. In some cases, women are also paid less when performing the same jobs that men do.
Nevertheless, the role of women in both the public and private sector has gradually increased. Latvia has adopted European legislation and directives on gender equality in a number of areas, from non-discrimination policies in private businesses to the more rigorous prosecution of domestic violence against women and children.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Entrenched cultural perceptions on the role of women continue to pose obstacles in many countries, and can only be changed incrementally and with a tremendous patience and firm determination. The stereotype that women are not fit for positions of authority is one of the most resistant to change. I am pleased to say that in Latvia, this stereotype is gradually changing and in number of other countries as well. According to surveys done among businesswomen in Latvia during the last four years (2003–2007), the proportion of female entrepreneurs who see discriminating attitudes towards them as a problem has decreased almost by half, from 14.5% to 7.5%. That shows that the situation in my country continues to improve at a very rapid pace.
We can also be pleased that good corporate governance — or social responsibility toward company employees through the assurance of optimal work conditions, as well as increased concern for the environment and for the welfare of society as a whole — has been a positive trend among businesses worldwide. Corporations both large and small are coming to realize that economic success must not occur at the expense of human rights, including women's rights, and that the involvement of women in important decision-making processes can actually be a very good thing.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Many of you are aware that Latvia has experienced extremely rapid economic growth during the past few years and that it currently has the highest GDP growth rate in the EU. Last year my country’s GDP increased by nearly 12% (11.9%) and I am proud that during the eight years of my presidency, Latvia’s well-being has steadily increased and is approaching the level of countries that have been free market democracies for a much longer period of time. Naturally, we have a lot of catching up to do but it has been a half of century behind the Iron Curtain that we are catching up to.
However, I am convinced that the sustainable development of any country can only be achieved if the equality, well-being and active participation of women is assured. The increased political representation of women in Parliament and in Government, as well as the continuous struggle against discriminatory policies, domestic violence and human trafficking are common issues that need to be resolved in many countries all around the world, particularly in those with authoritarian regimes.
Authoritarian regimes typically tend to be patriarchal in their ideology, and deliberately perpetuate discriminatory stereotypes that continue to influence gender roles in society. While there will always be certain cultural differences between societies regarding the perceived role of women, this can never be an acceptable excuse for deviating from the fundamental principle of the inherent and equal dignity of all human beings, regardless of sex and the inalienable right of women to their full rights and powers all across the globe.
The initiative of the Global Summit of Women in promoting cooperation among women at the global level is particularly significant today, at a time when not only our economies are becoming increasingly global, but also other pressing issues such as environmental degradation, social exclusion, poverty and disease. By advising and assisting each other in different forms, women can show the world through their experience, sensitivity and leadership, that they have the ability to improve the ethical climate in global business and politics, which are still dominated by men.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
This summit in Berlin is important because it offers women across the world the chance to be inspired by role models such as yourselves. Many of you have already shown that it is possible to successfully integrate a home life with business and politics, as well as with a socially active lifestyle. Your successes did not come without challenges, and sharing your experiences with others will help embolden newcomers to take that first step and to start their own businesses, or to enter politics.
Through your example, you, the participants of this important summit, are inspiring women everywhere to reject stereotypes that exclude them from public and professional life. Regardless of their status in society, women represent a vital component of every country's workforce and economic development. Women make up more than half of the world’s population and the fact that their tremendous talents are not invoked to the maximum extent represents a great loss to humanity. I can say from my own, personal experience that women’s God-given gift of motherhood need not prevent them from holding positions of high responsibility, be it in politics or science, business or any other walk of life. I do hope that more and more women will become conscious of their enormous potential and inner resources. I hope that more and more women will not shrink back from setting ambitious goals for themselves, and that they will find the courage to realize them, for the benefit of themselves, their families, of their communities, their countries, and the whole of humanity.
Once again, I thank you for this award, which means a great deal to me. I wish you stimulating and productive discussions during this summit and have no doubt that many of you will return home from it with a greater sense of empowerment and of female solidarity, brimming with fresh and creative ideas and projects. I am sure you will have established fruitful new contacts and found new friends. To all of you here, I offer my warmest wishes for success in your public life and business and deep and abiding happiness as private persons and as women. God, bless you all!