Cooperation and Practical Solutions to Advance Gender Equality in the Labour Market

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The opening panel, featuring Fernando José, Deputy Director-General of the Directorate-General for Employment and Labour Relations of Portugal (DGERT), Mafalda Troncho, Director of the ILO Office for Portugal, and Judit Rosza, Director of the Reform and Investment Task Force of the European Commission, set the tone for the discussions. The speakers highlighted the importance of creating a platform for dialogue on the structural challenges that persist in the labour market and of reinforcing institutional cooperation in addressing gender equality and work-life balance.

As Mafalda Troncho noted, the workshop represented a key milestone in a broader process of interinstitutional collaboration. This process aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of the Portuguese legislative and institutional framework, identify international good practices, and formulate actionable recommendations that contribute to more effective, sustainable and people-centred public policies advancing gender equality.

The discussions throughout the day focused on three key dimensions: mechanisms for mainstreaming the gender perspective into labour public policies; the role of labour inspection and the promotion of occupational safety and health in advancing gender equality at work; and the role of public employment services in promoting gender equality in employment and vocational training.

These themes were addressed in the morning sessions by representatives of European-level umbrella organisations. Contributions were delivered by Marta Pompili from Equinet - the European Network of Equality Bodies, Carlos Afonso Pereira from the European Labour Authority (ELA), and Silvia Sansonetti, co-author of the report Public Employment Services' Approaches to the Promotion of Gender Equality.

The discussions were further enriched by contributions from representatives of international authorities from Austria, Belgium, Costa Rica, Spain, Italy, Norway and Sweden, as well as Portuguese institutions. Participants shared experiences and reflected on lessons learned from initiatives implemented in their respective countries, enabling a collective reflection on transferability, best practices and the progress achieved in advancing gender equality in the labour market and work-life balance.

The workshop concluded with a closing panel featuring Carla Tavares, President of the Commission for Equality in Labour and Employment (CITE), Augusto Arnone from the European Commission's SG Reform, and Chidi King, Chief of the Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Branch of the International Labour Organization.

In their closing remarks, speakers emphasised that gender equality and work-life balance are core elements of the institutional approach to the labour market. Chidi King highlighted that the workshop represented a day in which discussions went beyond theoretical perspectives, opening space for the exchange of practical experiences and the debate of concrete actions aimed at advancing gender equality in the world of work.