The Portuguese Minister of State and Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, announced, on Friday 8 January, that her country will promote gender equality during its Presidency of the Council of the EU.
“We are going to recognise that all purposes of the European social model are anchored in the need to promote equality regardless the gender and recognise it as a cornerstone of the EU”, she explained to a group of journalists.
The minister says she intends to focus on the pillar on European social rights from the point of view of equality between men and women in the labour market, in the digital society, or in terms of social cohesion.
In particular, she intends to work on the consequences of Covid-19 on gender equality (see EUROPE 12470/16) from a socio-economic perspective, focusing on the labour market. “The aim is to adopt conclusions on the subject. We believe that there can be an agreement between the Member States. Men and women are affected differently by the consequences of this pandemic”, explained Ms Vieira da Silva.
Another consequence of the Covid-19 crisis is “an intolerable level of violence against women”. To mark the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention, the Presidency will organise a high-level conference in April in Lisbon on the importance of fighting violence against women, including digital violence, and domestic violence. Lisbon also wants to strengthen the discussion on violence against women, “including policies and innovative ways to give the necessary protection to women’s rights so that they can feel safe and prosper”, according to the minister.
The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU will also try to break the deadlock in the EU Council on the proposal for a directive on a better gender balance in company boards of directors (see EUROPE 12575/19). The deadlock has been in place since 2013. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with Agathe Cherki)