EUROMED Women's Rights

The Mediterranean Reflection Group (MRG) will play a major role in the guidance and implementation of the project of the “Role of Women in Economic Life” in the region. They will also play a lead role in specific high level gender equality conferences organised by the EC to advocate to official authorities the need for speeding up measures to achieve gender equality in the Mediterranean region. They will specifically undertake the following:

	1-	Assist in providing an assessment of what exists in the region in terms of studies, policies, services and machineries related to the different issues of gender equality.
	2-	Based on this assessment, they will contribute by suggesting and identifying further research that needs to be undertaken to fill the gaps in knowledge about the status of women, gender equality gaps in terms of policies and legislation as well as the assessment of national machineries for women in the 10 Mediterranean countries.
	3-	Provide guidance on redressing existing gender discriminatory legislation in the region.
	4-	Review terms of reference developed by the project team for further research, assessments and evaluations by international and local consultants to be undertaken.
	5-	If the need arises, a selected number of the Group, depending on their fields of specialisation and expertise, can undertake specific studies or assessments related to gaps in gender equality.
	6-	Provide examples of innovative practices from within and outside the region that have supported women’s empowerment and achievement of gender equality.
	7-	Provide frameworks/outlines for policy recommendations and suggested legislation which the project team can use to advocate the EC and governments of the countries of the region.
	8-	Participate in periodic meetings organised by the project team aimed at building a gender equality database and advocating for new policies and legal frameworks to achieve gender equality.
	9-	Provide advice on developing the data base on gender equality and the communication strategy which will be developed to disseminate the knowledge generated by this project.
	10-	Make use of the lessons learnt from the EOWEL projects in suggesting new policies and legislation especially with regard to the economic empowerment of women.
	11-	Give examples of European frameworks for gender equality legislation, policies and machineries that can be made use of in the Mediterranean countries of the region.
	12-	Participate actively in the EC Ministerial Conference on gender equality and its two preparatory meetings by chairing sessions, being members of the drafting committee, giving advice on the action plans that will be adopted and by following up the agenda of recommendations that will be arrived at during the Ministerial Conference.

Latest Newsletter

April - June 2007