International Women's Day: AER to fight violence against women more than ever

Strasbourg (F), 16 march 2009.

Against the backdrop of International Women's Day (March 8), the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and its President, Michèle Sabban, participated in several initiatives in Lyon, Orleans and Paris, thus reasserting AER’s commitment in tackling gender equality issues. Within AER, these issues are championed by the AER Observatory on Gender issues, created in 2005 and chaired by Michèle Sabban until 2008.

AER President, Michèle Sabban, and Mr. François Bonneau, President of Centre region (FR) in Orléans on 10 March 2009 for a seminar on gender equality in the labour market and on training opportunities.

For the period 2009-2010, the AER Observatory on Gender Issues will focus mainly on violence against women. Major events will be organised, such as a seminar in Brussels on  May 28 and a conference in Karlstad (Värmland, Sweden) on October 15-16, 2009. Other events on this issue are being prepared for the end of the year and the beginning of 2010. Several European regions, such as the Autonomous Community of Madrid, are taking the similar actions, launching advertising campaigns and other targeted activities.

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Monica Carlsson, regional councillor in Norrbotten (Sweden), was elected President of the AER Observatory on Gender Issues in November 2008.

“Equality between women and men still faces many obstacles at the end of this first decade of the 21st-century, and we must be committed to working relentlessly to make gender equality a reality in our regions, as well as within AER and the EU institutions. This fundamental value, often defended in political declarations and official speeches, must be put into practice. Regions, being close to citizens, have a fundamental role to play and AER must act as an example by including gender equality in its ruling bodies, projects and programs.”


The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than 270 regions from 33 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.


AER Contacts:
Richard Medic, Spokesperson / Director of Press and Communications, r.medic@aer.eu -
Tel (mob) +33 678 695 235
Francine Huhardeaux, Press and Communications Officer, f.huhardeaux@aer.eu - Tel./ Fax :  +33 3 88 22 74 49