WHAT'S NEXT? Expanding Choices Through Family-Friendly Policies

How do policies in the workplace impact gender equality and choices for families? Join UNFPA for a public conversation on this important and timely topic, “What’s Next: Expanding Choices Through Family-Friendly Policies,” on Thursday, 27 May at 3 p.m. GMT+3. The event will take place in English via Facebook Live with simultaneous Russian translation.

UNFPA and its partner COFACE-Families Europe are hosting this event to mark International Families Day in May by reflecting and raising awareness on the social, economic and demographic issues faced by families in the region – and how these have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Families, especially women, have borne the burden of this crisis, taking on increased caring for children and other relatives while maintaining their paid work responsibilities. But this challenging moment is also an opportunity to rethink and reshape societies, economies and institutions to promote greater gender equality.

Speakers and Panelists

Keynote speakers:
- Mara Yerkes, Associate Professor, Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Utrecht
- Monika Queisser, Head of Social Policy Division at the OECD

Panelists:
- Colin Scicluna, Head of Cabinet and Chief of Office of Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, Vice President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography
- Annemie Drieskens, COFACE Families Europe President
- Murat Yüksel, Chief People & Culture Officer (CPCO), GittiGidiyor Company
- Biljana Radonjic Ker-Lindsay, Associate Director, Gender & Economic Inclusion, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Moderator: Alanna Armitage, UNFPA Eastern Europe & Central Asia Regional Director

The “What’s Next: Expanding Choices Through Family-Friendly Policies” chat on 27 May will be the first event in UNFPA’s “What’s Next” series, a round of public conversations on demographic resilience held in the run-up to the 2021 high-level Conference on Demographic Resilience.