EUROsociAL+, an European Union / Latin American Social Cohesion programme, organised the High-Level Meeting on Gender Equality "Two Continents United for Equality" attended by 25 institutional delegations, 13 from Latin America and 12 from the European Union, key players in the promotion of women and their rights in both regions.
This meeting was held in the Paris on 3 and 4 March, and was organised by the Gender Equality Policies area, and coordinated byExpertise France within the EUROsociAL+ programme. The main objective of these two conferences, held within the framework of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union, was to enable Euro-Latin American dialogue between ministries and institutes to promote women’s rights and share good practices on female financial independence. An information exchange forum where the ministers of the Member States of the European Union, Latin America and representatives of international organisations such as the Inter-American Commission of Women – OAS- CIM, UN Women and CEPAL presented their strategies.
Women, adolescents and girls were the first victims of the health crisis, experiencing educational discrimination in all academic stages, from primary to university, in access to employment and in career development. This discrimination persists through to retirement and affects their financial independence at all stages of their lives.
These challenges, which were discussed in depth at the meeting, encompass several regional-dependent problems, however, a multilateral response is necessary to find a global solution. This was stressed at the inauguration of “Two continents united for equality”, by participants Elisabeth Moreno, France’s minister delegate for gender equality, diversity and equal opportunities; Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Alliances of the European Commission; Director of the Americas and Caribbean Department of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France and Javier Niño Pérez, Executive Director for the Americas at the European External Action Service.
“This high-level meeting is the opportunity to verify advances in terms of gender equality in Latin America. In addition to the firm, constant commitment of the States, these advances are also the result of an exemplary partnership between the two continents”, said Minister Moreno.
The day continued with some round tables, in which the ministers participated, and which focused on the exchange of good practices on the financial independence of women and between the Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women in Latin America and the European Union. As a continuation of the agreements reached within the framework of the Generation Equality Forum, in Paris the institutions responsible for promoting women and equality ratified their commitment to guide their actions towards the different dimensions that allow progress to achieve a more egalitarian and inclusive society.
Successful experiences of actions with an impact in the sphere of EUROsociAL+ were also presented at this meeting by representatives from the consortium entities and programme director Juan Manuel Santomé. There was also a day-long workshop and a reception with the Latin American embassies represented in the French capital.
Video making-of y Agenda of the Meeting.
