Council of Europe´s Int´l conference begins in Helsinki on Thursday

A two-day international conference on “Tackling Gender Stereotypes and Sexism” of Council of Europe will begin at the House of Estates in Helsinki on Thursday.

Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, together with Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services of Finland, Annika Saarikko will inaugurate the conference, said a press release.

The conference will focus countering stereotypical forces at work and in the public space, violence, sexual harassment and sexist hate speech as manifestations of the harmful effects of gender stereotypes and tackling gender stereotypes and sexist images of gender – on-line and in the media.

The conference will strengthen co-operation and synergies amongst participants and institutions, gathering high-level decision and policy makers from international organisations, Gender Equality rapporteurs, civil society representatives, equality bodies and women’s rights’ experts, journalists and other relevant stakeholders.

equal rights for women and men in all spheres of public and private life. Gender stereotypes and sexism contribute to different forms of hate speech (on line and off-line) and discrimination based on factors such as ethnicity, age, social class, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or sexuality. Gender stereotypes and sexism could spill-over in creating the conditions and the justification for violence against women.

Research and evidence show that sexism is rampant throughout Europe. Specific events or on-line social media movements and campaigns, such as #MeToo, #EverydaySexism, #TimesUp have further contributed to shed light on the ubiquity of sexism and on the need for stronger measures to combat it.

Gender equality is key to safeguard human rights, up-hold democracy and preserve the rule of law. Even if progress is visible and the legal status of women in Europe has undoubtedly improved during recent decades, effective equality between women and men is far from being a reality. Men and boys, too, lose out as a result of persistent gender inequality, especially as regards the development of boys’ natural talents and abilities and their educational and professional preferences. Gender gaps and structural barriers persist in many areas, constraining women’s opportunities to benefit from their fundamental rights. Progress is very slow as regards women’s political participation, access to justice and the elimination of gender stereotypes and sexism.

Committed to addressing the root causes of violence against women and to promoting greater equality between women and men, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the “Istanbul Convention”), exposes the link between gender stereotypes and violence against women. It promotes a shift in attitudes to challenge gender stereotypes at the level of individuals as well as institutions. The expected Council of Europe Recommendation to prevent and combat sexism will be the first international legal reference document to address directly the need to prevent and combat sexism.