Women leaders from the Party of European Socialists (PES) met in Zagreb, Croatia, for its statutory meeting, focused on strengthening gender equality and reinforcing progressive cooperation across Europe. The meeting was hosted by the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) and its Women’s Forum.
Opening the discussions, the President of PES Women, Zita Gurmai, welcomed the significant progress made by SDP Croatia, in particular the adoption of full gender parity in political representation within the party’s statutes. Measures such as zipper lists, efforts to promote age diversity, and a renewed focus on intergenerational cooperation were highlighted as concrete steps towards fairer and more inclusive politics.
Participants also exchanged views on the recently published EU Gender Equality Strategy, stressing the need to turn commitments into real progress for women across Europe. The discussion also addressed the European Commission’s response to the My Voice, My Choice European Citizens’ Initiative, which opens new possibilitiesto supportaccessto safe and legal abortion care across borders.
The meeting further advanced PES Women’s ongoing policy work, including a new position paper on women’s health and the update of its Feminist Economy booklet, both to be adopted in the coming months.
Looking ahead, participants underlined the importance of sustained mobilisation, pointing to key political moments such as International Women’s Day mobilisations, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York, and continued engagement across Europe to defend and advance women’s rights.
