EU Ministerial Gender Equality Conference 

The WNC was successful in obtaining one of the UK places at the Czech Presidency (Informal) Gender Equality Ministerial Conference in late May.  There are only four places allocated to each EU member state, including the Ministerial place as head of Delegation. The Minister was unfortunately unable to attend this meeting. The remaining places were allocated to the Government Equalities Office as lead Gender Department, to a representative from the Department for Children, Schools and Families as the conference is looking at stereotyping and, for the first time, the WNC. WNC Commissioner Brita Fernandez-Schmidt represented WNC partners on this occasion.  

Places at the Presidency table in Europe are limited and allocated to Government Ministries, one place to the European Women's Lobby (sole representative of Europe's NGOs) and Social Partners (e.g. ETUC). So unless Member States invite a national social partner, the opportunity for interaction for civil society is very narrow. This is therefore an opportunity to share developments in thinking in Europe with WNC partners.  

The Czech Presidency of the EU runs from January - June 2009. It forms part of the second EU ‘Trio Presidency’. Together with France, which handed over the Presidency to the Czech Republic in the New Year, and Sweden, which will take over the Presidency in the second half of 2009, the 18-Month Trio Presidency Programme was developed to drive through a shared agenda, and aims to make the individual Presidency priorities a success and achieve longer-lasting results.  

The main aim of this gender conference was an exchange of experience and good practice, and to set the direction for the forward course of the EU Roadmap on Gender Equality (2006-2010), which can be accessed through the WNC website.  Attendees attended from across EU member states and European institutions.  The conference was comprised of a number of expert panels, including ‘Tools and methods for overcoming gender stereotypes and bias’ in childhood; in the media; and in decision-making.  The UK Gender Equality Duty was highlighted as an example of good practice in relation to projects to combat hate crime against transgendered individuals. 

The next Presidency will be held by Sweden and the Directorate will try and ensure that WNC again has an opportunity to participate. 

To read WNC Commissioner Brita Fernandez Schmidt's report on the Conference, please click here