GENDER EQUALITY COMMISSION (GEC)
EUROPE
29th meeting
10-12 June 2026
Strasbourg, Agora, Room G.02
INTRODUCTION
The Terms of Reference of the Gender Equality Commission (GEC) for 2024-2027 foresee the collection of information on best practices from member States on the involvement of men and boys in gender equality policies. In particular this collection should include practices which promote and follow up on the Guidelines on the place of men and boys in gender equality policies and in policies to combat violence against women (CM(2023)51-add2-final) (“the Guidelines”).
The role of men and boys in gender equality policies has been much debated in recent years. There is still a common perception that gender equality is an issue that mainly concerns women and girls. However, gender inequality impacts society as a whole and gender equality benefits all. Societal norms associated with traditional masculinity adversely affect both women and men in all their diversity. The Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029 (“the Strategy”) acknowledges men and boys as agents and beneficiaries of change, and as strategic partners and allies in the achievement of gender equality. This includes their active engagement in challenging gender stereotypes and negative and discriminatory social norms. Various other actors, including the European Commission in its new Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), and UN Women have emphasised the need to include men and boys and their perspectives more meaningfully in work towards gender equality.
According to the GEC Terms of Reference 2024-2027, the deliverable is due by the end of 2027. It is planned that the GEC would adopt the collection at its 31st plenary meeting in May/June 2027.
THE DRAFTING OF THE COLLECTION OF PROMISING PRACTICES WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:
May 2026: a discussion paper will be circulated regarding the collection of promising practices, including questions for GEC members, participants and observers. GEC members, participants and observers will be asked to consider preliminary answers to these questions in preparation for a workshop.
GEC 29TH PLENARY MEETING IN JUNE 2026:
i.
A workshop on promising practices on the role and involvement of men and boys and in policies to combat violence against women will be organised. The workshop will be facilitated in such a way that it supports the development of responses to the questions in the discussion paper and the identification of common trends.
ii.
Members of the Working Group will be identified to support the elaboration of the collection of promising practices. It is suggested that the Working Group includes three to five GEC members and a small number of other participants and observers and holds three to four meetings as per the suggested timeline.
15 August 2026: deadline for GEC members, participants and observers to provide consolidated written answers to the questions in the discussion paper.
Autumn 2026: based on the responses, the Secretariat will prepare a first draft collection of promising practices and share it with the Working Group. The first meeting of the Working Group will be held online in October 2026 to discuss the promising practices identified and support their selection through a co-creation modality. The first draft will then be shared with GEC members, participants and observers ahead of the 30th plenary meeting.
GEC 30th plenary meeting in November 2026:
i.
An interactive discussion will be held to review the analysis and the identification of promising practices, and could include possible external input (for example, an expert, a civil society representative, or a representative from EIGE or UN Women). Some of the first promising practices identified by the Working Group will be presented.
ii.
The second meeting of the Working Group may be held in in-person/hybrid format in the margins of the session, or online soon after the session, with the purpose of reflecting on the discussion in plenary and consolidating the selection of promising practices.
December 2026-April 2027: a more developed draft of the collection of promising practices will be finalised. The third meeting of the Working Group will be held online in February/March 2027 to support the preparation of the more developed draft.
GEC plenary session in May/June 2027: the GEC will examine the collection of promising practices and consider it with a view to its adoption.
GEC meeting in November 2027: GEC could consider follow-up activities, including the preparation of interactive/visual materials such as scenarios, illustrations or videos, as well as plans for rolling out the compilation of promising practices such as workshops, training sessions or community-building exercises. In case interactive/visual materials will be prepared, the Working Group will hold its fourth meeting to discuss such materials in December 2027.