EUCommission vPresident Reding +EURapporteur Kratsa to EuroFora:Zakharov prize Malala+Company Boards

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- The Worldwide struggle for Free and Equal Acces to Development through Education, runs from Poor Young Girls' Access to School in underdeveloped, War-stricken Countries, up to Womens' Access to Boards of Corporations listed on Stock Exchanges, stressed in substance EU Commission's vice-President Viviane Reding and EU Parliament's Rapporteur, MEP Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP from the Governing Party "New Democracy" in Greece, incoming EU Chair for January-June 2014, in reply to an "EuroFora"s Question inspired by the Zakharov Prize for Freedom of Expression's award, earlier Today, to Malala Yousafzai, a young Girl from Pakistan, who was Shot at the Head by Talibans ruling in adjacent Afghano-Pakistani regions simply because she was fighting for Girls' access to Elementary School; for which she spoke to MEPs gathered in Strasbourg during this year's "Intenational Day for Childrens' Rights" :

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- "Given the Symbolic Importance of the Day, do you think that there is a Good Coincidence, in the Fact that this Same Day there was also the award of the Zakharov Prize to a Small Girl, Malala, about her Right to go to School, which is obviously at the Beginning of the Education that you spoke of, and which, hopefully, might lead, afterwards, to the High Statute you are dealing with ?", asked "EuroFora" during the Press Conference of EU Parliament's Rapporteurs on "Women on Boards", a move due to oblige EU Member States to establish Sanctions of their Choises for Companies listed in Stock Exchanges which don't respect gender balance.

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- "Thank you for the Question", reacted immediately EU Parliament's Rapporteur Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou to "EuroFora". - "Concerning "the Zakharov Prize, something which has moved us and impressed us all Today, is the recipient's Personality and Courage, that of small Malala", she agreed.

- "It's a Coincidence, because we, Europeans, of course, have the Chance to be at anOther Stage of the course, compared to other areas of the World, which have still to revendicate for Basic Rights, that have been already established for us", experienced MEP Rodi Kratsa stressed in this regard.

- "Simply, we are all in an Evolving course, and, as (EU) Commissioner Reding had the Good Idea to remind, on 1957 we (EU) established the Equality in Work Pay, and, during all these Years, step by step, with Legislations, Institutional Reforms, and some moments with bolder moves against Discriminations, etc., we arrived, Today (2013), to knock at the door also of the "Roof of Glass". Therefore, it's an Evollving process, and I have to thank you for stressing that the EU has to Mark the Day, even Symbolically, with a Sign for its Struggle to break this "Roof of Glass"".

=> - But "this constant Progress creates for us (European Women) a Moral Obligation; to Stand by, with Solidarity, the Countries (likeTalibans' Pakistani/Afghani areas, etc) where Women are still Deprived even of the Right to Elementary Education", EU Parliament's Rapporteur concluded.

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+ "Indeed, the Question about Education is an Important one, and I think that we have all been Moved by that Admirable Girl which has just received the Zakharov Prize Today. She was pleading just for "a Book and a Pen", for all the Girls who would like to go to School", added EU Commission's vice-President for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding from Luxembourg, pointing at the Conclusion of Malala's Speech in EU Parliament's Plenary, earlier Today, where she had stressed that "57 Million Children who are Waiting for us" to help them access Education throughout the World, "do not want an iPhone, and XBox, a PlayStation or Chocolates : They just want a Book and a Pen"...

- "Now, look where we (EU Women) have arrived : We have arrived to 60% of University Graduates to be Females, and we should think : -"What are we doing with that ?", in Connexion with what this Admirable Young Girl has given us as a Lesson Today", and "which shouldn't stop there". - "Why on Earth can't we bring this Talent, which we have Educated, to be Integrated in the Economic level in our Society ?", Reding questioned,

- "That's exactly what the (EU) Parliament asked to do, and that's exactly what we Need as Europeans". Because, "we can't have a two-tier Society. We don't have it, any more, in Education : There things are Fine". But "we need to have this also in Economic levels, where things are Not Fine", she critically observed.

>>> - And, concerning the Message which Malala has given us this Morning, I'd like just to add that Europe is the Biggest Development Donor in the World. Much or our Development Aid is going to Education, including Young Girls. We (EU) should not only Continue to do that, but we should also Enhance that, so that there will be no more need for Malalas' to come in the EU Parliament and remind us that somewhere Girls are (even) Deprived (of the elementary Right) to go to School", EU Commission's vice-President concluded in reply to "EuroFora"s question.

She was referring to the 2013 Zacharov Prize recipient's Call for "EU Parliament" to "Look Beyond Europe to the Suffering Countries where People are still Deprived of their Basic Rights. Where Freedom of Thought and Freedom of Speech is echained : Many Children have No Food to eat, and No Water to drink, and these Children are also Starving for Education It is alarming that 57 Million Children are Deprived of Education : They cannot go to School. This must Shake our Conscience", as denounced from the outset of her Speech earlier this Morning, the Young Girl Malala Yousafzai, who comes from Pakistan's Swat Valley, where reportedly Talibans decreed that all Girl Schools be closed since 2009, while "over 150 Schools had already been Blown up", according to EU's Data, dramatically adding to the Schooling Problems already massively spread also in Central Africa mutatis-mutandis.

- "We also need a Change in our Ideology", the small Malala added on this occasion : - "Let us change our Ideology of being Powerful : A Powerful Country shall Not be judged by counting its Soldiers, ... but rather we must see which Country ...has more Educated People, which country has provided Basic Rights to its Citizens", including "Equal Status for Men and Women". Becaue "the Country with Talented, Skilful and Educated People is the Real SuperPower, Not the Country with tonnes of Soldiers and Weapons", Malala stressed.

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(Includes Fast Translation from Original partly in Greek).

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