PES Gender Equality ministers met today for a Ministerial meeting organised by PES Women and hosted by Magnus Heunicke, Danish Minister for Gender Equality. The meeting focused on three core priorities of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU: combating gender-based violence, engaging men and boys, and preparing the post-2025 EU Gender Equality Strategy, all of which strongly echo PES Women’s agenda.
Opening the meeting, PES Women President Zita Gurmai underlined the need for continued high-level coordination among progressives, especially as no formal Council configuration on gender equality exists – a structure PES Women has advocated for over decades. She welcomed the Danish Presidency’s leadership and the close alignment of priorities.
Minister Magnus Heunicke presented the Presidency’s vision and progress, followed by Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu, who shared updates on ongoing Commission work and preparations for the next EU Gender Equality Strategy.
Lina Gálvez Muñoz, FEMM Committee Chair, and Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, S&D FEMM Coordinator, shared the European Parliament’s perspective and the strong backlash context, and provided an update on the draft report on consent-based rape legislation, a long-standing progressive priority and an essential step toward stronger EU-wide protection for women.
Progressive ministers and representatives then exchanged national updates, challenges, and good practices, confirming their shared commitment to advancing gender equality across Europe.
The meeting was attended by:
- – Magnus Heunicke, Minister for the Environment and Gender Equality, (Denmark)
- – Seema Malhotra, Minister for Equalities (UK)
- – Rebecca Buttigieg, Minister for Equality (Malta)
- – Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for social rights and skills, quality jobs and preparedness (Romania)
- – Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, S&D Member of European Parliament & S&D FEMM Coordinator (Poland)
- – Lina Gálvez Muñoz, S&D Member of European Parliament, FEMM Committee Chair (Spain)
- – Zita Gurmai, PES Women President (Hungary)
