The European Parliament is turning the spotlight on women’s talent this November, as committees gather for the sixth edition of European Gender Equality Week.
From 3 to 7 November, MEPs and experts will explore how education, training, and employment can help bridge the gender talent gap — a key step in driving Europe’s economic and social progress.
This year’s theme, simply titled “Talent”, frames gender equality not just as a matter of fairness, but as an economic necessity. Lawmakers will debate how to ensure that women’s skills and creativity are fully recognised and harnessed — from classrooms and laboratories to boardrooms and parliaments.
Ahead of the week, Antonella Sberna (ECR, Italy), European Parliament Vice-President responsible for Gender Equality Week, said: “The future of Europe depends on our ability to nurture talent: from classrooms to boardrooms, from laboratories to parliaments, Europe must become a place where every talent can flourish. Our task is to break down all those barriers that should no longer exist.”
Lina Gálvez (S&D, Spain), Chair of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee, added: “Talent is equally spread, opportunities are not. Let's challenge that. The time for equality is now.”
Spotlight on the gender talent gap
A highlight of the week will be a high-level event on Tuesday, 4 November (16:00–18:00), titled “Facing the Talent Gap: Creating the Conditions for Every Talent to Shine.” Co-hosted by Sberna and Gálvez, the discussion will bring together leaders and innovators from across Europe.
Among the speakers are:
- Henna Virkkunen, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
- Michaela Benthaus, space engineer and European Space Agency trainee
- Solange Fugger, emergency medicine consultant in Rome
- Johanna Pirker, computer scientist and game designer at Graz University of Technology and Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University
- Lella Golfo, president of the Fondazione Bellisario
- Isabelle Le Galo Flores, Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee
The event will be streamed live on the Parliament’s Multimedia Centre.
Women’s leadership in politics
On Wednesday, 5 November (10:30–12:00), Parliament President Roberta Metsola will join a public hearing on Women’s Leadership in Politics, hosted by the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee.
The session will include a panel featuring:
- Dr Maja Herman, psychiatrist and art therapist
- Joanna Burnos, founder of the LEADERIS Institute and entrepreneur
- Orla O’Connor, former Director of Ireland’s National Women’s Council (joining remotely)
- Dr Zahra Runderkamp, member of the Dutch political alliance Stem op een vrouw (“Vote for a Woman”)
A week dedicated to progress
Launched in 2020, Gender Equality Week has become an annual fixture for the European Parliament. It provides a platform to review progress, celebrate achievements, and set new goals for advancing women’s rights and equality across Europe. The initiative brings together parliamentary committees, political groups, and civil society to keep equality at the heart of European policymaking.
All debates and events can be followed live on the European Parliament’s Multimedia Centre.