Gender Equality and Gender-Based Violence Prevention at the Local Level – Webinars

Symbiosis-School of Political Studies in Greece, affiliated to the Council of Europe Network of School organised in June 2021 an eight-day Online Seminar on Gender Equality and Gender-Based Violence Prevention at the Local Level, with the support of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Foundation-Thessaloniki Office. The seminar took place via the Zoom platform, 14-17 and 22-28 June 2021 – each day corresponding to a different educational module.

Gender equality and gender-based violence prevention are crucial for the local level of governance in Greece, particularly since from January 2021 femicides and numerous reported cases of rape and sexual abuse have finally become an important discussion in the public sphere. The seminar on Gender Equality and Gender-Based Violence Prevention at the Local Level has been designed for and addressed to municipal executive personnel and elected officials. The Seminar’s curriculum aimed at supporting cities in the development, implementation and evaluation of local strategies towards gender equality and gender mainstreaming. It also aimed to raise awareness on a model of local governance based on inclusive and democratic citizenship. It covered gender equality, equal opportunities, balanced participation in political and public decision-making, gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting, gender and masculinity, gender-based violence and prevention, legal and institutional aspects of gender in Greece, gender in local governance and urban planning. The Seminar’s methodology was based on the principles and practices of the Council of Europe and the European Union.

The modules involved outstanding academics and experts: Stavros Boufidis, Psychiatrist-Psychotherapist; Despina Syrri, Director of Symbiosis-School of Political Studies in Greece; Andreas Takis, Professor, Faculty of Law, AUTh; Aikaterini Georgiadou, Lawyer; Nicole Petalidou, Psychologist, FOMEN Researcher in Greece, Symbiosis-School of Political Studies in Greece; Elli Papastergiou, Spatial Planning and Development Engineer, Programme Officer, Symbiosis-School of Political Studies in Greece.

Thirty-five (35) participants — psychologists, sociologists, social workers, lawyers, doctors, communication professionals — attended the seminar, all being executive personnel and elected officials at the municipalities of Thessaloniki; Athens; Neapoli-Sykeon; Thermi; Kastoria; Trikala; Ioannina; Heraklion, Creta; the Major Development Agency Thessaloniki S.A. and the Regional Committee for Gender Equality, Region of Thessaly Chairperson.