European Conference on Gender Equality, 15-16 June

On 15 and 16 June 2009, the European Commission (Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities) is organising in Brussels a conference on "Equality between women and men in a time of change".

The conference will assess the achievements of the Roadmap for Equality between Women and Men - which was adopted in 2006 and will come to an end next year - and will set the future priorities in the gender equality agenda. Representatives from the European institutions, member states, national equality bodies, social partners, international organisations, NGOs, candidate countries and EEA EFTA states are invited to take part in the initiative.

During the two-day event, to take place at the European Commission (Charlemagne building), participants and keynote speakers will discuss a wide range of subjects including persistent gaps and barriers for women's employment, the consequences of the current economic crisis on the labour market and on the European social model and strategies to improve the gender balance in economic and political decision-making processes. Furthermore the conference will focus on how to challenge gender violence and on sharing experiences in the field of mainstreaming gender equality in order to find effective measures for its implementation and promotion.