The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) invited trade union representatives for a cross-sectoral meeting on its premises in Vilnius on 25 March 2014.
Among the ETUCE delegation were three members of the ETUCE Equality Working Group: Kounka Damianova, Chair of the Standing Committee for Equality, SEB, Bulgaria, Joan Donegan, IFUT, Ireland and Amaya Martínez de Viergol Lanzagorta, FECCOO, Spain.
The meeting provided both EIGE and the trade unions the opportunity to present their work on mainstreaming gender equality in employment and to exchange good practices with the aim to enhance the cooperation between EIGE and social partners in Europe. The event showcased to EIGE how much work trade unions are able to carry out on gender equality in particular as regards collective bargaining. Building on the challenges that European governments face in gender mainstreaming and the lack of implementation at national level, and the EIGE’s Gender Equality Index,the participants discussed different strategies and actions on tackling gender stereotypes, notably ETUCE’s and its member organisations’ work in in this field. The meeting also allowed the union representatives to exchange good practices in the area of women’s entrepreneurship and to debate on Women and the Economy.
The success of this meeting has encouraged EIGE to envisage further meetings with the social partners and ETUC member organisations for 2014 and after, in connection with the priorities of each EU Presidency.
Further information on the institute are available at: http://eige.europa.eu/content/about-eige