The European External Action Service EEAS, DEVCO-DG Development and Cooperation together with the Republic of Argentina on behalf of CELAC co-organised a seminar last 7th-8th March on the occasion of International Women's Day, on the women's economic empowerment and participation in the economy and paid labour markets. The seminar provided with a space for reflection and discussion that goes hand in hand with Chapter 7 of the EU-CELAC Action Plan that articulates the importance of promoting policies and laws to ensure equal pay for equal work backed with social security and conditions of fairness.
The main goal of the seminar was threefold: 1. To provide a bi-regional space for the exchange of information and experience between experts from the EU and CELAC on women´s economic empowerment and participation in the labour market; 2. To promote discussion and networking among the participating experts from both regions, including from civil society organisations and private sector, to analyse the main obstacles to gender equality in the economy and, 3. To make recommendations on follow-up activities, including proposals for actions that could be included in bi-regional cooperation, such as those undertaken by the EU-LAC Foundation.
The seminar's introduction was made by Jolita Butkeviciene, Director for Latin America and Caribbean at DEVCO and the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica. The Executive Director of the EU-LAC Foundation Ms. Paola Amadei participated as moderator in a round table with governmental experts together with civil society representatives, and international and regional organisations.
Please find the speech by Commissioner Mimica here.
