International Conference “Role and Status of Women in Modern Society”

About 200 high level representatives of Romanian and European institutions, civil society, international organizations and business owners have attended the High Level International Conference titled “The Role and Status of Women in Modern Society – Between Empowerment, Leadership and Gender Discrimination” (29-30 May), organized at Bucharest Palace of Parliament by Romanian Ministry of Labour and Social Justice and National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men.

Conference has been organized in the context of Romania’s EU Council Presidency, under the patronage of Romanian Prime Minister, Ms. Viorica Dăncilă. Conference started with a welcome speech of Ms. Viorica Dăncilă and continued with speeches of Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank CEO and Ms. Clare Hutchinson, NATO Secretary General – Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security and Marius Budai, Romanian Minister of Labor and Social Justice.

Conference agenda included the following topics: exchange of best practices, policies and initiatives of EU Member States on promoting gender equality in the economy, entrepreneurship and leadership, preventing and combating gender discrimination on the labour market, business environment and access to decision-making.

In this context, Conference focused on promoting among EU Member States cohesive societies, which would benefit from better education and health system, reduced inequalities between men and women, between urban and rural areas, promoting also an open society in which European citizens feel valued and be supported, and that promotion of equality between women and men is the key to a cohesive Europe.

Based on the motto chosen by Romania for its mandate for the EU Council Presidency, “Social Cohesion – European Common Value”, “Bucharest manifesto to support equal opportunities and treatment between women and men” has been launched in the margins of the High Level International Conference. This document aims to give a powerful signal for future EU policies post 2020, which is crucial to reaffirm under the new mandate of the European Parliament and the European Commission the common commitment to promote gender equality and gender mainstreaming.

Following Romania’s commitments during its mandate for EU Council Presidency regarding equal opportunities and treatment between women and men, main objective of the Conference was set to increase women’s empowerment in the European Union by strengthening the role and position in both social and business environment, common value of the EU Member States and goal of modern society in terms of respect and promotion of women’s fundamental rights.

Main target has been to bring together policy makers and relevant stakeholders involved in promoting gender equality and to mobilize governments of the European Union for achieving gender equality and economic independence for women in terms of sustainable economic growth by implementing European policies and long-term strategic measures both in employment and reducing the pay gap between women and men, and in terms of promoting positions of leadership and the business development.

Source:Romania2019.eu