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During the event EU member states’ experts are going to discuss gender equality issues in global context (gender equality aspects in setting post-2015 agenda after the Millennium Development Goals). The participants will talk about further development and strategic goals of gender equality at EU level after 2015 by discussing the available tools and resources for financing and implementing gender equality policy.
The participating experts will share their experience about the measures taken to ensure gender equality at national level including through gender mainstreaming within the Europe 2020 strategy. The scheduled discussions will also address the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
High-level officials in charge of gender equality policy implementation and coordination, mainly from the public bodies, as well as representatives of the European Commission are going to participate in the High Level Group meeting.
The High level Group meetings are organised twice a year in the presidency country. The Group is chaired by the European Commission. One of the Group's objectives is to provide a proactive support to the presidencies of the EU Council by identifying the policies and issues at EU level to be viewed from a gender equality perspective. At the same time the Group gives an opportunity for the Member state experts to exchange relevant information and share experience about national measures taken to ensure gender equality.
The main priority of the Latvian Presidency in the field of employment and social policy is inclusive and sustainable labour market participation. Other priorities include strengthening social dialogue, disability policy, occupational safety and health and gender equality.
In the field of gender equality the Latvian Presidency focusses on gender gap in pensions and the underlying causes related to, for instance, the choice of education and profession, pay gap, possibilities to reconcile work and family life, etc.
Series of other important events related to gender equality issues will also take place during the Latvian Presidency. For instance the Latvian Presidency will ensure the EU presence and position in the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women to take place in New York in March 2015.
