EU-Enlargement-Equal Chances-Participation

In 2007, the European Union will launch a new generation of programmes and financial instruments which could have substantive impact on the economic and social development in an enlarged EU. The question is how these new mechanisms could be used for the empowerment of women and women´s organisations in civil society to strive for more gender equity and social justice.<br> <br> The conference will focus on the EU Enlargement and civil society activities in order to address major priority areas and to strengthen the networking between EU-sub regions and civil society organisations. Major areas of concern to be tracked down relate to social security, informal work, precarious employment and new forms of poverty, women’s rights and their situation in fragile states, migration, and the impact of globalisation.<br> <br>The aim of the conference is to share experiences and discuss profoundly the new enlargement instruments and how they will contribute to gender equality and the strengthening of civil society institutions. The identification of monitoring instruments and gender indicators, drafting strategic orientations as well as plans of action for further networking purposes are meant to be results of the convention.<br>