Date: December 12-13, 2006 Place:  Ernst-Reuter-Haus, Strasse des 17. Juni 112, 10623 Berlin Organizers: Heinrich-Boell-Foundation Berlin - Common Task of Gender Democracy and Feminist Institute Network of East-West-Women (NEWW), Danzig Center for Gender Studies, Prague Grüne Bildungswerkstatt (GBW), Vienna

Update and outlook for gender politics in the EU on different political levels (EU, national, local), and in selected political areas:
Women's politics and gender politics on an EU level focus primarily on defining an agenda for gen-der equality and implementing gender mainstreaming. Women's and gender politics also includes a political and legal framework that extends beyond (most) countries' regulations and policies in this field. Nevertheless, fundamental sociopolitical visions remain vague and intangible. In addition, this is a policy area that is (still) characterized by highly significant differences between member states. It is affected greatly by the current situation of (party) politics affects in particular in the Member States.

During this conference we will examine the various actors and levels of European gender politics and how they interact. By working together with experts from academic institutions, administration, politics, and lobby organizations, we intend to identify common features and differences, as well as barriers and opportunities in European gender politics.

Further information on the conference: [Fit-for-gender] 
Program and invitation letter as >> PDF Download

 Program

Tuesday, 12.12.2006, 6:00 pm – 9:00

Opening panel discussion
Who Is Advancing Gender Equality in Europe? Gender Politics in the EU and Its Member States

• Keynote: Nora Fuhrmann, University of Osnabrück, Germany
• Including: Eva Maria Welskop-Deffa (Head of the Equal Opportunities Department in the German Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth), Brigitte Triems (German Women's Council and Executive Committee of the European Women's Lobby) 
• Moderation: Claudia Neusuess, consultant and project management, Berlin

Followed by a reception.

Wednesday, 13.12.2006, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm

Welcome and introduction
Parallel workshop discussions

1. Actors for Change? Men and the Politics of Equal Opportunity Actors in non-governmental men's politics from Poland, Austria, Sweden and Germany present dif-ferent approaches to the issue. What role can and should men's politics play in future EU equal op-portunity policies? What are the possibilities of creating transnational synergies and networks? Are there any perspectives of cooperation between women’s and men’s NGOs in order to strengthen gender democracy? Including: Klas Hyllander (Mänliga, Schweden), Willi Walter (Forum Männer, Berlin), Michal Placzek (The Feminists, Polen) Moderation: Dag Schölper, Berlin	2. Gender Politics from Childhood Onwards. The Potential for Change through (School) Edu-cation Policies – a European Comparison The foundations for gender hierarchies as well as gender democracy are laid in pre-schools and schools. This is where gender roles and gender relationships are practiced as part of children's so-cialization. We want to debate the possibilities offered by state educational policies and different feminist and/or gender democratic approaches with regard to a gender-fair development of curricula and didactics as well as teacher training and find out about various strategies and methods to intro-duce gender-fair education. Including: Matti Meri* (University of Helsinki, Finland), Uli Boldt (Bielefelder Laborschule, Ger-many), Adelheid Berghammer (Gender Mainstreaming Commissioner at the Pedagogical Institute in Upper Austria) Moderation: Matthias Rudlof, Quality Coaching Berlin
3. Give Us Time! – (Local) Time Politics as Gender Politics Coordinating a professional and a family life and achieving a gender-fair division of labour in both areas of life is more than just a question of money for women and men. It is also a matter of time and social conditions and opportunities. In both areas, outside forces (opening hours of administra-tion, kindergartens and shops, schedules of public transportation systems and personal working hours) determine how much time is available. We want to explore approaches to local time politics that aim to achieve a more efficient organization of "time in the city" and give us greater freedom to determine our own use of time. What is the potential of time-based approaches for emancipative gender politics? Including: Alessandra De Cugis (Time-office of Milan, Italy), Ulrich Mückenberger (University of Hamburg, Germany), Imke Meyer (Women's Commissioner of the city of Hanau, Germany) Moderation: Christiane Droste, gender+ Berlin	4. Mind the (Pay) Gap! – Equal Opportunity on the Way to Lisbon According to the Lisbon Strategy, women's employment in the EU should rise to 60%. But what is the role of qualitative equal opportunity objectives: the same pay for the same (value of) work? Working time models? Earning an independent living through gainful employment? We want to shed light on the role of the equal-pay principle in EU equal opportunity policies and European social dialogue – a principle which aims to combat the causes for the ongoing gender pay gap that places women at a disadvantage. We will also examine approaches for greater pay equality in individual member states. Including: Catelene Passchier (ETUC Brüssel), Ingrid Mairhuber* (Working Life Research Centre Vienna, Austria), Gundel Köbcke (Twinning Light Project in the Czech Republic) Moderation: Matthias Lindner, ver.di, Germany
5. (Never)ending Modesty – Are We Satisfied with Equal Opportunity Politics in Europe? Gender politics – equal opportunity politics – women's politics – gender justice – gender main-streaming – emancipation… It is often hard to clearly differentiate between the growing number of terms that are used in connection with various gender-based approaches in political fields in Europe and around the world. Yet there is one word that is increasingly seldom heard and has almost fallen into disuse: "feminism" – as a term and a sociopolitical concept for change. This comes despite the fact that feminist movements are the starting point across the EU for emancipative changes, future-oriented analyses, and demands for equal opportunity policies in the EU. Have gender politics re-placed feminism? Is it a continuation, and if so, what type of gender politics? Including: Mona Singer* (University of Vienna, Austria), Angelika Wetterer* (University of Graz, Austria), N.N. (European Feminist Forum, Amsterdam)

Lunch
 
Final debate
Local – National – European: We Are Shaping Gender-Fair Politics!

Fishbowl discussion on the question of how politics can be shaped in a gender-fair manner and what political concepts can produce long-term improvements in gender justice. In what political ar-eas and on what levels should we start? What instruments and strategies are available? What possi-ble allies do we have? We will compile a list of political demands within the context of the German EU Council Presi-dency and the European Year of Equal Opportunities.

* to be confirmed

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 Event Details 

Hours:
Tuesday, 12.12.2006 – 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, followed by a reception
Wednesday, 13.12.2006 – 9:30 am to 5:00 pm

Venue:
Ernst-Reuter-Haus, Strasse des 17. Juni 112, 10623 Berlin
Public transport: S-Bahnhof Tiergarten (S5, S7, S75, S9)

Contact:
Heinrich-Boell-Foundation Berlin, Henning von Bargen and Ulrike Allroggen
fon: +49 – 30 – 285 34 181

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Aktualisiert: 30.07.2007, kra