Gendering the European Parliament: Structures, Policies, and Practices

Public Online Lecture by Prof. Dr. Petra Ahrens (Guest Professor for Gender and Diversity 2021/22) on July 14th 2021, 18:00-20:00

Since its first direct election in 1979, the European Parliament (EP) has been considered a key promoter and fierce supporter of gender equality. Moreover, the EP has one of the highest percentages of women parliamentarians worldwide, and its multi-national composition is unique. Yet, as this lecture will illustrate, the allegedly homogenous position on gender equality crumbles upon closer scrutiny and examining gender relations in the EP reveals several interesting facets. Next to discussing how political representation is gendered across countries, the EP’s political groups and various other organisational branches, the lecture also explores the EP’s internal struggles around gender equality in political groups, committees, plenary, and policies. It asks how and why the EP, as an institution, is gendered and what the gendered impacts of recent changes are when it comes to the EP’s structures, policies, and practices.

This free online event will take place via WebEx. Please register in advance here.

Click here to download the flyer.