News and Events

 

  • Ninth annual high-level EU Diplomacy Lecture on “Gender Equality in EU Foreign and Security Policy: A Question of Leadership” with Ambassador Stella Ronner-Grubačić

    On 13 October 2022, Ambassador Stella Ronner-Grubačić, Ambassador for Gender and Diversity at the European External Action Service, delivered the ninth annual high-level EU Diplomacy Lecture on “Gender Equality in EU Foreign and Security Policy: A Question of Leadership” at the College of Europe in Bruges. She argued that leadership and gender equality are inter-related, especially in the current geopolitical context. The European Union (EU) has a robust policy framework on gender equality in place. Nevertheless, gender equality is being challenged by antagonistic actors aiming to promote polarisation in other countries, including members of the EU, through disinformation campaigns and other means, distorting gender equality as a purely Western notion and inciting hatred against the LGBTIQ community. What is now needed is Gender Responsive Leadership, that is, leaders who are aware of the challenges and their impact and who are able to act on them.

    policy paper  |  lecture recording

 

 

  • Menstrual Precariousness - Free Sanitary Protections at the College: ending period precariousness and taboos around menstruation is fundamental. At the College, our Student Association for Gender Equality has worked with the Student Affairs Office on the following projects: 
  1. Boxes containing free sanitary products are made available in several bathrooms around Campus. This relies on a ‘give and take’ system, meaning that students are warmly invited to not only take but also provide menstrual products.
  2. In line with the general College of Europe policy on justified absences, students are allowed to miss class provided they obtain a medical certificate attesting that period symptoms prevent them from attending class in person. The same applies in case students are diagnosed with endometriosis or other menstrual-related conditions. 
  3. Residence wardens provide access to residence kitchens in order to sanitise menstrual cups.