Finland will organise a high-level gender equality conference in Helsinki from 30 September to 1 October in the context of Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Around 260 participants from all over Europe are expected to come to attend the event.
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the aim of the conference is to increase the dialogue between gender equality policy and economic policy and to strengthen gender equality in the EU’s decision-making.
The conference will focus on EU’s gender equality policy for the future and discuss the links between the economy and gender equality from different perspectives, such as gender mainstreaming, stronger horizontal cooperation, gender-sensitive investments and gender budgeting.
During Finland's EU Presidency, Finland aims to make the links between economic issues and gender equality more visible than before. "Studies by the EU and international organisations indicate that gender equality and women’s employment contribute to promoting sustainable economic growth. Economic and budgetary policies should be further developed to take gender impacts into account", the Finnish Government says.
The discussions at the conference on gender equality will be based on the 25-year review of the UN Beijing Platform for Action in the EU. The Beijing Platform for Action was adopted at the World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.
Under the leadership of Finland, the Council is also preparing conclusions on the EU's future gender equality policy and equitable economies. The Council conclusions are to be adopted by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) in December.
