Young elected politicians – How is your region or city dealing
with gender equality in policy making?
Brussels, 4-6 March 2020
EU Member States are committed to promoting the equal participation of women and men in decision making at all levels and in all fields by the European Pact for Gender Equality (2011-2020). However, women remain significantly underrepresented in local decision-making bodies across the EU. The latest
Gender Equality Index from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) shows that the EU still has a way to go to reach gender equality in all areas. According to CEMR's 2019 study on
Women in politics: local and European trends, only a third of political decision-makers in Europe and around 15% of mayors are women. The top five EU countries in terms of most women as local councillors are Sweden, France, Finland, Norway and Belgium.
In April 2019, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) published its strategy for a gender balance among its members. Following this first step, on the occasion of International Women's Day and the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, the CoR would like to invite young elected politicians to express their views and recommendations on how to ensure equal participation in politics and decision making in all areas of life.
Are you committed to ensuring gender equality in your region or city? What is your constituency doing to advance gender equality? What results have been achieved?
The CoR would like to hear your experience, the solutions you have implemented and your recommendations on measures that should be put in place to eliminate individual, organisational and social obstacles that dissuade women from entering politics.
The European Committee of the Regions' call for expressions of interest is therefore addressed to young elected politicians who are committed to improving the gender balance in policy making in their constituencies. To take part in this programme, you must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a democratic mandate as an elected politician at regional or local level in a Member State of the European Union
- Be no more than 40 years old on the first day of the event (3 March 2020)
- Not hold a mandate as CoR member or alternate
- Have a good level of English (as this interactive event will take place in English only)
Complete
this application form and submit it no later than midnight on
31 January 2020.Selected candidates will participate in a tailor-made programme from 4 to 6 March 2020 and will have the opportunity to meet and network with other politicians at local, national and European level. The CoR will reimburse travel costs and pay a flat-rate subsistence allowance of €269. Candidates will be selected with an eye to ensuring balance in terms of gender, regional and local representation, political affiliation and nationality. Candidates will be informed of the selection results in early February.