Women's Day: Equality Ministry Reflects on Impact of Gender Stereotypes

Yesterday evening, on the occasion of International Women's Day, Luxembourg's Ministry of Equality between Women and Men organised a conference dedicated to "Histoire(s) d'égalité" (history / histories of equality).

The event, broadcast live via video conference from the National Library of Luxembourg (Bibliothèque nationale du Luxembourg - BnL) was an opportunity for participants to reflect on the impact of gender stereotypes and the evolution of women's rights from the 1960s to today. The conference also highlighted the advances for equality between women and men on a daily basis and identified the challenges to be taken up in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Luxembourg's Minister of Equality between Women and Men, Taina Bofferding, noted: “Women are particularly exposed to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. Through their jobs, first of all, when they mostly work in the front-line sectors of health, personal services and businesses. Here, it is a question of upgrading these trades. And then, we see that women have been more involved in raising children at home during confinement and the same for domestic tasks. However, we want a good work-life balance for women and men".

The minister added that this balance was necessary to prevent the crisis from having a lasting effect on women's employment and pushing them away from the labour market. She stated: “We work for a fair and inclusive society that allows everyone to express their potential and develop professionally and personally. For this, we must overcome gender stereotypes".

The conference also brought together the historian and professor Dr Sonja Kmec, the authors Elise Schmit and Sandra Wolter, the actor Nickel Bösenberg and BnL Director Claude D. Conter.