Deputy Minister Katya Todorova participated in the conference "Women’s Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Development - the Synthesis for Success"
05 March 2015 News
Deputy Foreign Minister Katya Todorova participated in the conference "Women’s Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Development - the Synthesis for Success", which was held on March 2 in Riga. The forum was organized by the Latvian Presidency of the EU in association with the European Commission within the European Year for Development. The discussion focused on issues such as the promotion of gender equality and the rights of women and girls which are also main priorities for the Latvian Presidency, especially in the context of the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda, which is expected to be adopted by the UN.
The conference brought together 260 participants from more than 40 countries, representing the EU institutions, the International Labour Organisation, the World Bank,UN specialized agencies,as well as the private sector and NGOs. They discussed topics such as women's right to equal access to education and equal wages, and the inclusion of economic empowerment of women in the post-2015 development agenda. They emphasized on the need to improve the business environment and ensure the equality of women in the labor market with a view to their full participation in the economic and social life.
In her statement, Deputy Minister Katya Todorova focused on the national measures to promote women's entrepreneurship and good cooperation between the government and private sector organizations to encourage good practices and experiences in this field. She underscored the activities of the Bulgarian Association of Women Entrepreneurs, which aims to work to improve the economic environment and identify markets and investments for the implementation of the economic activities of women entrepreneurs.
The conference ended with the adoption of conclusions that will be presented as a contribution to the section on gender equality and women's empowerment in the European Council conclusions and the drafting of a new EU plan on gender equality.