Equality of women and men in local life

The final conference of CEMR's project « A European town for equality" has taken place on 7 and 8 February in the European Parliament in Brussels. This project was set up in the frame of the 5th action programme for women/men equality in the European Union and organized in cooperation with 'Sister Cities Going Gender". More than 180 persons coming from 23 European countries attended the conference. Amongst invited speakers were mayors, municipal councilors, local government officers, representatives of NGO and of other organizations concerning by the theme.

 

The president of CEMR's Committee of women elected representatives of local and regional authorities, Vicenta BOSCH PALANCA, and CEMR's Secretary General, Jeremy SMITH, opened the debates. Amongst keynote speakers were the Vice-Chairwoman of the EP Committee on gender equality Edite ESTRELA, the director for horizontal and international issues, DG employment, social affairs and equal opportunities of the European Commission Luisella PAVAN-WOOLFE, the mayor of Gijon PAZ FELGUEROSO, the mayor of Heidelberg Beate WEBER, the deputy mayor of Stockholm Catharina TARRAS-WAHLBERG, the deputy mayor of Frankfurt Jutta EBELING”¦ The UCLG (United Cities and Local Government) was also represented and brought a worldwide vision to the subject.

 

A variety of themes and their impact on men and women have been discussed, such as the political participation of women at the local level, transports, housing, immigrated women, safety”¦ Experts and representatives of European towns such as London, Paris, Vienna, Roma, Rotterdam, Turin”¦ spoke about their experience in these fields.

 

You will find enclosed the conference programme as well as speeches and contributions from most speakers. CEMR will publish soon the study and the methodology about ' equality in European towns".