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SUMMER SESSION

GENDER EQUALITY TRANSVERSAL GROUP
CONF/TG/GEN(2010)ROUNDTABLE

Strasbourg, 21 May 2010

THE BURQA: SYMBOL OF OPPRESSION
OR AFFIRMATION OF IDENTITY?

ROUNDTABLE

Tuesday, 22 June 2010 from 10.30 am to 12.30 am
room 2, Palais de l’Europe

Chair: Karin Nordmeyer – Chair of the Gender Equality Transversal Group of the Conference of INGOs

Moderator: Christoph Spreng (Special Advisor of the Conference of INGOs for intercultural dialogue)

PROGRAMME
Opening and welcome of the participants

Speech by Carina Hägg, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Vice-Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on equal participation of women and men in decision-making

Speech by Saïd Aalla, Chair of the Strasbourg Great Mosque

Nursuna Memecan, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Rapporteur of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men of the Parliamentary Assembly

Exchange of views on the burqa

I. Proposed themes for discussion:

The burqa and women’s rights
A threat to gender equality?
Discrimination against women or social and cultural tradition?

II. Discussion on a strategy for the Conference of INGOs which could encourage intercultural dialogue and contribute effectively to a process of mediation.

Outcome / Conclusions