- The Euro-Latin American Women’s Forum, an external mechanism of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat), was held on July 26th in Madrid.
- The forum highlighted fundamental aspects directly impacting the socio-economic situation of women in both Europe and Latin America.
- The main conclusions include promoting access to digital technology, regulating domestic work, and supporting migrant women.
July 28th, 2023, Brussels, On July 26th, 2023, as part of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council, the Senate of Madrid hosted the Euro-Latin American Women’s Forum, recognized as an Extra-Parliamentary Mechanism by the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EuroLat).
Samira Rafaela, Member of the European Parliament for Renew Europe, shared the conclusions of the meeting, based on “Vulnerabilities of the Socio-Economic Position of Women in Europe and Latin America,” during the fifteenth EuroLat Ordinary Session. The forum, with the prominent presence of the Vice President of Uruguay, Beatriz Argimón, emphasized the need to strengthen women’s access to digital technology, positioning it as a central focal point of discussion. The importance of promoting responsible digital transformation based on inclusive values was emphasized to mitigate digital divides and foster women’s empowerment in the digital economy. Additionally, the regulation of domestic work and support for migrant women were other key topics addressed during the event. As an additional effort towards equality, the creation of a Bi-Regional Care Pact was proposed.
In this context, leaders committed to fostering inclusive multilateralism that combats gender discrimination, actively promoting equality, and strengthening cooperation to achieve positive progress for the development of girls and women. These efforts will be grounded in the guarantee of rights, the quality of democracy, and the promotion of equity and security as fundamental pillars.
With full awareness of the importance of these aspects, Women4Tech continues to contribute through its initiative and related programs such as Girls4Tech, 100 Women Plus, and WomenEquity. Our mission is to ensure that women and girls worldwide have the necessary support and tools to pursue careers in STEM fields and encourage their participation as innovative leaders in the present and future.
For more information visit (Forum Agenda): https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2014_2019/plmrep/PA/EUAL/OJ/2023/07-25/1278045EN.pdf
About Euro-Latin American Women’s Forum
The Euro-Latin American Women’s Forum was established as an official body of EuroLat with the 2018 reform of EuroLat’s Internal Rules of Procedure. The forum has two co-presidents (one from the European Parliament and one from Latin America and the Caribbean). In this legislature, the co-presidents elected were Member of the European Parliament Samira Rafaela (Renew, Netherlands) and Julia Argentina Perié (Parlasur, Argentina).
Forum meetings take place during EuroLat sessions, usually twice a year, alternating between Europe and Latin America. The events are open to all EuroLat members and are generally broadcasted and recorded online. The topics discussed during the meetings relate to issues impacting women’s lives in society. Experts are invited to address the audience.
The forum is a space where European and Latin American women can come together to achieve better understanding, deepen knowledge about the situation of women in the two regions, build bridges, and find common ground on complex issues affecting most of the population.
About Women4Tech
Women4Tech supports innovation, disruptive projects, and public-private partnerships with a focus on women. Within the program, we participate in various initiatives such as Girls4Tech to promote STEM careers in young girls and projects like 100 Women Plus and WomenEquity, among others. Visit http://womenfortech.eu/ for more information.
About Girls4Tech
Girls4Tech project is an initiative aimed at promoting local technological innovation led by girls between 8 and 18 years old. It focuses on teaching STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) that are essential in education and for the future of the job market, where technology and digitization play an increasingly important role.
About 100Women Plus Project
This project, co-financed by the EU’s Erasmus+ Program and led by Finnova in collaboration with the Cabildo de Fuerteventura and the association Fundadoras, aims to address the need for greater gender equality and enhance international cooperation in women’s empowerment. 100 Women Plus has been designed to improve collaboration and dialogue channels, propose a series of learning activities, exchange experiences, and transfer results to establish new mechanisms of female participation, strengthen the ecosystem of women entrepreneurs in participating countries, and create networks and partnerships between institutions in Europe and Africa.
100Women Plus´s Activities
With a total budget of €60,000 and a duration of 10 months, various training and exchange activities will be carried out. These include an online entrepreneurship seminar program that will train 200 students, the creation of a gallery showcasing 30 success stories to highlight women entrepreneurs’ initiatives, online talks and debates on equality and women’s participation, and a final conference in Brussels. The expected outcomes of this project are the creation of a network of women and collaborating organizations promoting gender equality and women’s entrepreneurship, the development of specific didactic content through more than 40 hours of training, and enhanced cooperation between African and European entities.
About WomenEquity
The WomenEquity project aims to raise awareness of barriers in women’s access to the labor market and improve their situation. Led by the Benaguasil City Council, the project has a budget of €137,435 and will run for 18 months. It focuses on three groups: young women seeking their first job, unemployed women over 55, and migrant women. The goal is to promote collaboration among municipalities to find solutions, raise awareness among citizens, and offer tools for women’s labor inclusion. To achieve these objectives, seven events will be held in different countries, and an interactive guide of best practices will be created.
About Fundación Fundadoras
Fundadoras is a nationwide association for the promotion of female entrepreneurship, operating since 2018. Its objectives are to add ecosystem, reward and recognize, disseminate, and position.
About Finnova Foundation Finnova EU is a non-profit foundation working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at the EU level. Headquartered in Brussels with an affiliated organization in Spain, Finnova operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. Finnova’s expertise in leading communication and dissemination activities for EU projects combines with a proven track record in creating business and supporting programs such as accelerators, incubators, and selection events and award ceremonies. Finnova also supports EU projects through advocacy and analysis at the EU level, addressing legal and regulatory frameworks and barriers to support innovation across Europe.