An international conference on men’s role in promoting gender equality in modern society will take place on 22 October, in RISEBA Architecture and Media Centre H2O 6 in Riga.
The Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia in cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers invites entrepreneurs, HR specialists, state and municipal oficials, NGO representatives and experts of various fields to join an informal discussion and reflect on men’s wellbeing and challenges men are facing as fathers, employers and employees, as well as men’s role in promoting gender equality. Together we will find the answers to important questions: What is expected of a man in today’s society? What shapes society’s perception of gender roles? Do men and women have equal opportunities to build a career while actively taking part in family responsibilities? What are the drivers of change in gender stereotypes and attitudes? What is our part in the process? If and how should we be more involved? What practices can we learn from other countries? What practices can we learn from each other?
The Barbershop events provide a setting for male-to-male discussions and reflections about their own behaviours, privileges, and roles. The conference provides an opportunity not only to get more familiar with practices developed in other countries, but also to discuss the current gender equality trends in terms of the challenges we face in our everyday lives.
The Barbershop is an initiative taken by Iceland and Suriname in 2014 inspired by UN global solidarity movement HeForShe. So far, the Barbershop conferences has been organized in Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and the USA.
For the conference, please register here until 20 October.
The conference will be available online on Facebook and YouTube (Ministry of Welfare)
