Page 24 - BPW-UK - E-news - Edition 120 - March-April 2024

Best Practice Feedback. European Presidents’ Meeting

Part of the Presidents’ meeting focussed on best practice from all countries in Europe.
These were some of my perceived highlights.

LITHUANIA Vilnius in partnership with their employment service started a new project
Women's Entrepreneurship Workshop and for second year a conference for disabled
employees. Four events a year for women looking for work, want to change their field
of activity or start a business. They share inspiration and mentoring.
IRELAND held seminars on business start-ups and state support. Fifty art festival tickets
were given to Ukrainian women to add a little joy to their stay in Galway. They also have
a Ukrainian/Irish choir and conversation groups.
UK Jo talked about registering a project with IFBPW. Anu endorsed this by stating that
we must all formally register them on the IFBPW website.
ESTONIA Supporting Ukrainian women in Estonia partnering with a divergent women’s
organisation and supported by the Coca Cola Foundation

ICELAND Had a day when most working women did not go into work to emphasise
the equal pay gap.
ITALY Had nationwide seminars and zoom meetings on FGM. We should show zero
tolerance as it is a fundamental violation of human rights.
MALTA Held a half day conference on the pension gap.
FRANCE aimed at protecting senior women who are neither employed nor retired following
reform of the pension age up to sixty-four.
POLAND Continuous support for women in Ukraine helping them to find work, accommoda-
tion, and scholarships for talented youth.

FINLAND Had a nice analogy for us to think of ourselves as headlights, lighting the way
forward.

Two common themes emerged for me in that many countries were supporting
Ukraine and trying to help them as well as our van project.
Many of the conferences and seminars had been held in conjunction with like-minded
organisations.
Finally, BPW Finland was voted the winner, by a secret ballot of all European Presi-
dents and announced at the Gala Dinner.

Chris Nendick, VP Advocacy
Presidents’ Meeting in Rome