EU Parliament Launches EU Gender Equality Week
The European Parliament’s second EU Gender Equality week kicks off today, Monday October 25th. During the week, European Parliament committees and delegations will hold a series of discussions and public hearings on topics related to gender equality.
This is the second time the EU Parliament has hosted a Gender Equality Week following the success of the first edition in October 2020, when it was launched by the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee.
Included in the events taking place is a discussion between members of the delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Assembly on Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, on Monday afternoon. The Employment and Social Affairs Committee will discuss gender equality and the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing on how the recovery can be designed to protect women and promote gender equality, both on Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, the Legal Affairs Committee will hold an exchange of views on the Women on Boards Directive, a legislative file blocked in the Council for many years.
The Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee will hold several events, including a Conference on the Future of Europe side-event on ‘‘Building an Inclusive Economy for Women in the Green and Digital Transformation.” It will also hold a hearing on ‘‘Enhancing Gender Equality through Common European Action on Care’’ with Commissioners Šuica (Democracy and Demography), Schmit (Jobs and Social Rights) and Dalli (Equality).
On Thursday afternoon, the Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Carlien Scheele, will present to the Women’s Rights Committee the findings of the Gender Equality Index 2021, with a special focus on health.
Speaking ahead of the launch, President of the EU Parliament, David Sassoli said, “I can only express my satisfaction with the success of this initiative, which was launched just a year ago in the midst of the pandemic, and which we are promoting again this year, with broad participation from many of the EP Committees and parliamentary Delegations. We are enthusiastic about gender equality, but we must all commit ourselves, every day, to advancing a form of equality that goes beyond mere rhetoric, that increases our commitment in all areas where women still suffer from marginalisation or social disadvantage. Equality must be de facto. What is happening in Afghanistan, but also within our borders, is a warning for our societies. Discriminatory policies are not being abolished for good. The courage, tenacity and voice of women who have fought and who continue to fight for their rights must inspire us towards achieving an integrated and global approach to gender, because we are all equal, today and always.”
The draft programme of events for the week can be found here
Image by European Parliament/Via CreativeCommons/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
