The 24th plenary meeting of the Gender Equality Commission (GEC) will take place on 14-16 November 2023 in Strasbourg.  The meeting will focus on discussing and finalising the draft Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029. This new Strategy will follow on from the current Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023 and provide the framework for the work of the Council of Europe and its member States in the field of gender equality for the coming years, to further support the implementation of existing standards and meet new emerging challenges through the development of new standards.

Exchanges of views with the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Síofra O’Leary, and the President of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou, will be two of the highlights of this meeting. 

The GEC steers the Council of Europe’s intergovernmental work in the field of gender equality. It is composed of representatives of the 46 member States. Other states and organisations, including civil society organisations, are invited as participants or observers. Established to help mainstream gender equality into all Council of Europe policies and to bridge the gap between international commitments and women’s lived realities in Europe, the GEC oversees and supports the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy.