Standing Committee for Equality 2017: Securing diversity in education
Published:
Gender equality experts from ETUCE member organisations assembled on 20-21 March 2017 in Brussels for this years’ Standing Committee for Equality. Meeting once a year, this consultative body to the ETUCE Committee exchanges ideas and experiences on how to support affiliates to sustainably promote equal opportunities in Europe. At this Standing Committee for Equality, members had the opportunity to exchange good practices and views on How to secure diversity in Education. Member organisations discussed and proposed recommendations for the implementation of the 2016 ETUCE Conference Resolution(s) on Equality that were adopted in December 2016.
Addressing the topics (1) Inclusion of migrants and refugees in education; (2) Ensuring gender equality in education; (3) Mainstreaming LGTBI equality in ETUCE policy; and (4) Tackling extremism and xenophobia, the draft recommendations agreed upon in this Committee are to be submitted to the ETUCE spring Committee for adoption.
Rossella Benedetti from UIL Scuola (Italy) was re-confirmed in the position as Chair for this Standing Committee together with Alexandra Cornea from FSLE (Romania) in her role as new Vice-chair for the period of 2017 - 2020. As chair of the Standing Committee for Equality, Rossella Benedetti is an Ex-officio member of the ETUCE bureau and Committee.
Moreover, candidates nominated for members to the Equality Working Group had the opportunity to present themselves. The ETUCE Bureau has the responsibility to select five members from this pool of candidates.
Presentations on the ETUCE work programme by the European Director 2017-2020, Susan Flocken and the promotion of diversity in Education in the EI Arab countries by EI Deputy General Secretary Haldis Holst, stood out next to the update on the EI and ETUCE work in progress on equality issues
With more than 65 participants attending the event, guest speakers included Montserrat Mir Roca, Confederal Secretary in charge of Gender equality from ETUC and Maurizio Mosca, Stakeholders Relations Office from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).