EqualPro conference in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on EU women’s rights policies

The event, which was held in the context of CESI’s EU co-funded project ‘Towards more gender equality at work’ (eQualPRO),brought together policymakers, trade unionists from across CESI’s membership and civil society representatives from France to discuss the EU’s achievements in advancing women’s socio-economic rights France and the concret eimplementation of gender equality policies in the country.

Opening the conference, CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger welcomed participants by stressing the importance of dialogue between EU institutions, Member States and trade unions: “Equality policies cannot remain abstract strategies on paper. They must be translated into tangible improvements in the daily lives of women and men across Europe – in the workplace, in education and in society at large.”

A first panel featured European Parliament Committee Chairs MEP Li Andersson (Committee on Employment and Social Affairs), MEP Lina Gálvez (Committee Women’s Rights and Gender Equality) and MEP Nela Riehl (Committee on Culture and Education), who presented the EU’s progress and upcoming priorities for gender equality, notably in the context of the recent EU Roadmap for Women’s Rights. They highlighted in particular links between equality, skills, competitiveness and resilience in times of industrial transitions.

Sarah Mantah of the French Coordination Group to the European Women’s Lobby (CLEF) shared perspectives on how EU women’s rights and equality initiatives influence national policies in France, particularly in the public sector and in education.

The conference then gave the floor to Romana Deckenbacher, Vice-President of CESI’s Commission on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, who outlined CESI’s trade union demands – including on pay transparency, better work-life balance and stronger measures against workplace harassment.

A dynamic exchange followed with French CESI-affiliated trade union leaders Pascal Kessler (FA-FP), Alain Laratta (Avenir Secours), Frédéric Monchy (SNSPP-PATS), Luc Viehé (Spelc) and Stanislas Gaudon (CFE-CGC). They shared experiences on promoting equal opportunities in sectors such as civil protection, public administration and education, while identifying barriers that women still face in career progression.

In his closing remarks, Klaus Heeger emphasised CESI’s commitment to ensuring that equality remains a core pillar of European social policy: “For CESI, gender equality is not a side issue – it is a trade union priority. Only by empowering women equally in the labour market and in society can Europe unlock its full potential.”

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