Today (16 September), politically committed women from Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino met in Palais Widmann in Bolzano for the Euregio Regional Women's Assembly under the motto " #GemeinsamStark #FortiInsieme". The focus was on strategies for equality between women and men as well as more equal opportunities. In order to continue to make progress in these areas, the participants agreed that measures must be taken at all levels - at the European level as well as at the state and national levels.
Insights into gender equality policy
The Euregio event, which took place again for the first time after a two-year break, started with the greetings of the Euregio governors. Afterwards, Evelyn Regner, Vice-President of the European Parliament and Member of the EU Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality FEMM, the Italian Minister for Family, Childbirth and Equal Opportunities Eugenia Maria Roccella and the Austrian Federal Minister for Women, Family, Integration and Media Susanne Raab reported in video messages on equal opportunities and gender equality policies at European and national level.
The actual situation of equality between women and men at the Euregio provincial level, on the other hand, was described more concretely by the President of the Provincial Advisory Council for Equal Opportunities for Women in South Tyrol, Ulrike Oberhammer, by the Provincial Councillor for Social Affairs, Inclusion and Women in Tyrol, Eva Pawlata, and by the Provincial Councillor for Health, Social Affairs, Disability and Family in Trentino.
Goal: Increase the proportion of women in politics
In South Tyrol, for example, there is a groundbreaking strategy document in the form of the Æquitas Equality Action Plan adopted by the provincial government in August this year. In Tyrol, there is already a large package of measures with the "Equality Package 2020-2023 - Equality of Women and Men in Tyrol", while Trentino will begin to develop a plan document in the coming legislative period. The significant increase in the proportion of women in political decision-making positions is a key objective of all three Euregio countries.
Finally, Elisa Bertò, Secretary General of the Euregio Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino, outlined a possible scenario of gender equality in the Euregio countries Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino and called on those present to organise themselves even more strongly than before in - certainly also transnational - networks and to exchange ideas. "The Euregio has always taken the side of women and has been working for years to combat violence and for equal opportunities between the sexes by putting discussion at the forefront of cross-border cooperation. I am convinced that the Euregio, with its method of dialogue, confrontation and common objectives, can help to shape concrete projects for more equal opportunities," said Bertò.