LAB 7: Improving women’s representation and maximising their potential, a path through gender equality
7 November 2024 - 15.00-17.00 / Palais de l'Europe / Salle 11
Interpretation FR/EN
Sponsored by GREVIO (tbc)
The fight for equality between women and men means focusing on two crucial aspects: representation and women's potential. Improving women's representation means not only increasing their numbers in various sectors and decision-making levels, but also ensuring that their voices and perspectives are truly considered. Maximising their potential means creating environments where women can fully develop their skills and talents, without being held back by discrimination or stereotypes. Taken together, these actions effectively constitute a path towards gender equality, as they aim to eliminate the systemic barriers that limit women's opportunities. By asking ourselves whether this path leads to equality, we are looking at the most effective strategies for achieving a fairer, more balanced society.
Moderator:
Käthlin SANDER, Chair of the Committee of Experts on Artificial Intelligence, Equality and Discrimination (GEC/ADI-AI)
Discussant:
Marta BECERRA, Programme Manager and co-secretary of the Steering Committee on Democracy (CDDEM)
Anna SEVORTIAN, CINGO member
Women Peace Ambassadors, Women’s democracy Network
Moldova
The initiative aims to improve civic participation and leadership of women in peacebuilding. Women Peace Ambassadors undergo specialised training to become leaders in peacebuilding, addressing the unique challenges faced by women, including vulnerable and refugee women, in conflict-affected areas. Participants include women from throughout the country, including Gagauzia and Transnistria, and Ukrainian forcibly displaced women. They work to create inclusive, peaceful, and participatory environments, amplifying women's voices and promoting gender equality. The project's interventions comprise a series of complementary online and offline activities. To ensure sustainability and inclusivity, the project is developing robust mixed-mode learning content, accessible to both Romanian and Russian speakers, to meet the needs of women peace ambassadors. Through interactive exercises, women acquire the knowledge, practical skills and support they need to become actively involved in peace processes and become agents of change.
Presenter:
Erica ZUCEC
Erica Zucec is the Leader of the 'Women Peace Ambassadors' initiative, dedicated to fostering peace and empowerment among women. With a passion for leadership education and advocacy, Erica has consistently created opportunities for personal and community development. She brings extensive experience working with international organizations and with national Central and Local Authorities. As a certificated leadership coach, Erica inspires and guides individuals to reach their full personal and professional potential, embracing a holistic approach. She loves working with people and is committed to making a positive impact in their lives. Erica holds a master's degree in International Law.
European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local life, Council of European Municipalities and Regions
Belgium
The European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life, launched in 2006 with the support of the European Commission, has been updated in 2022 by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and its member associations to ensure its usefulness and relevance for Europe's towns and regions. By signing the Charter, local and regional players make a firm commitment to the principle of equality and diversity and are encouraged to implement concrete policies and actions addressing the themes mentioned in the Charter. The aim is to build the capacity of local authorities and their associations, provide additional support, disseminate local initiatives, and strengthen commitment to the principle of equality and diversity at local and regional level. The project aims to continually review and revise the Charter, promote it to local authorities for signature, and support signatories in implementing concrete policies. Participants include local and regional authorities, member associations, and the CEMR, in partnership with the European Commission, European and international organisations and civil society.
Presenter:
Bella Tskhelishvili, an Adviser on Eastern Partnership and Geographic Dialogues at the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), holds a master’s in political science from Strasbourg. Her expertise includes policy, advocacy, and project management related to the Eastern neighborhood and wider EU partner countries. She supports advocacy strategies with European institutions and external stakeholders while managing city-to-city international cooperation projects on youth, gender equality, energy, climate, and decentralization reforms.
Europe at a crossroads, The European Women’s Lobby
Belgium
The European Women's Lobby's (EWL) "Europe at a crossroads" campaign was launched on March 6 in Brussels in the run-up to the 2024 European elections. The campaign has played a crucial role in raising awareness of the rights of women and girls in the next mandate of the EU institutions. It emphasises the need to fully include women in the political, economic, and social spheres to foster functional and effective democracies. The campaign emphasises that equality between women and men benefits society, not just women. The EWL Secretariat manages the campaign at Brussels level, while EWL members run it at national and local level. The campaign extends to all European countries through national coordination in 26 EU member states and 17 European organisations. Activities include online training for members in December 2023, national events across the EU such as "Elle en Europe" signs in Bulgaria, and an event with candidates in Portugal.
Presenter:
President of the European Women’s Lobby, the largest European umbrella network of women’s associations. She also co-founded and serves as President of the Bulgarian Platform of the EWL. Her work centers around women’s rights advocacy, with a focus on gender equality, violence against women and girls, gender stereotypes, sexism, and women’s empowerment. Balabanova has been actively involved in promoting legislation for the prevention and protection against domestic violence in Bulgaria, and her expertise extends to various aspects of gender-related issues in Europe and globally. Since 2022 she is a member of the Experts’ Forum of the European Institute for Gender Equality, representing CSOs at EU level.
Women’s Mock Parliament, Communication Techniques for Development ACT
Egypt
The Egyptian NGO ACT founded the Women's Mock Parliament, which includes governmental and non-governmental organisations, decision-makers, women politicians and leaders, members of parliaments and feminists from Egypt and the Arab world. The aim of the Mock Parliament is to strengthen women's political participation and encourage them to take part in political life in Egypt and the Arab world. This initiative helps to educate and mobilise public opinion on the issue of women's inclusion in the decision-making process. ACT enables women to acquire knowledge of their constitutional rights and political campaigning skills to participate in local, municipal, and parliamentary elections. Today, the parliament reaches 2500 women from predominantly poor rural communities in Egypt and the Arab world, where cultural traditions are biased against women and patriarchal relations are dominant. Parliament gives liberal and reformist women a means of expressing their social and political disadvantage in the current parliamentary system, and of ridiculing the prejudices of that system.
Presenter:
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