On 11 and 12 December in Strasbourg, the Council of Europe Gender Equality Division organised its annual training session for Gender Equality Rapporteurs (GERs). GERs from sectors as diverse as artificial intelligence, sport, bioethics, pharmaceutical care, organ transplantation, Roma rights or children’s rights participated in the training, as well as a number of staff members. The training addressed issues such as key gender equality and gender mainstreaming concepts, transformative policies, gender-sensitive communication and resistance to gender equality, but it focused mostly on practical exercises related to the work of GERs.

49 GERs were nominated in the different steering committees and monitoring bodies of the Organisation since 2012. They play a crucial role in being “ambassadors” for gender mainstreaming and gender equality issues in their respective sectors. GERs are an important part of the Council of Europe institutional framework to promote gender mainstreaming in all areas. Thanks to this institutional framework and commitment, the work undertaken on gender mainstreaming at the Council of Europe has had very interesting and pioneering results in a number of areas. More information here.