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La démocratie en danger : agir contre les violences envers les femmes politiques
Brulocalis and its partners organize a study morning dedicated to women in politics, parity challenges, and concrete strategies to combat the violence and obstacles that hinder their participation.
Women in Politics:
Parity, Violence, and Democratic Participation
About the Event
This study morning will address the place of women in politics, the challenges of gender parity, and concrete means to combat the violence and barriers that limit their political participation.
Sexism in politics remains a major issue for women’s participation and representation in democratic life. Far beyond individual attitudes, it is a structural phenomenon that hinders women’s entry into the political sphere, complicates their trajectory once they hold responsibilities, and jeopardizes the representation of women’s interests in public policy.
Too often, elected women confronted with sexist behaviour, harassment, or symbolic and verbal violence are forced to disengage, give up their mandate, or choose not to stand for re-election. In this way, sexism acts as a tool of marginalisation and reinforces the male domination of the political field.
Recent data in Belgium and across Europe show an increase in violence, harassment, and intimidation targeting women engaged in politics — particularly young candidates. Since the 2024 federal, regional, and municipal elections, Belgium has recorded a decline in the number of female candidates, a worrying trend also observed in other Council of Europe member states.
In response to this alarming situation, Brulocalis and its partners are organising an awareness-raising and dialogue event, bringing together researchers, elected officials, experts, and political representatives with a shared ambition: to understand, to testify, and to act.
Programme (Provisional)
Agenda
- 8:30 Welcome coffee
Part 1 – Overview of Political Parity in Belgium and Europe, Forms of Violence and Cyberharassment (9:00 – 10:45)
- Introduction by Federal Minister for Equal Opportunities Rob Beenders and Christian Lamouline, President of Brulocalis
- Analysis of the post-2024 elections situation by Audrey Vandeleene, postdoctoral researcher and professor, Department of Political Science, ULB (CEVIPOL), author of the study “Candidat/Candidates” for the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men
- Analysis of stagnant parity in Brussels municipal bodies after the 2024 elections, by Alessia Messina, Gender Officer at Brulocalis
- European perspectives and 2025 data by Annelies Coessens, Project Officer at CEMR (Council of European Municipalities and Regions), author of the study “Women in Politics – Local and European Trends”
- Do we need women in politics? Presentation of a study on gendered ambition and its consequences for the political sphere by Robin Devroe, VUB & UGent
- Forms of violence and cyberharassment by Anne Van Bavel, postdoctoral researcher at VUB
- Social media as a ‘new’ public space marked by violence against women, and female politicians specifically, by journalist and documentary filmmaker Florence Hainaut
Part 2 – Women in Politics: Between Hopes and Realities (11:00 – 11:45)
Moderated by: Sarra El Massaoudi, journalist, trainer, and speaker
- Testimonies from women politicians: resilience and lived experiences in the field
Part 3 – Tools and Resources for Action (11:45 – 13:00)
Discover mechanisms and best practices for supporting women in politics:
- Preparing and protecting women candidates with ELECTA
- Reporting and handling aggressive behaviour, by Myriam Fayad (Research & Training Service, Institute for the Equality of Women and Men – IEFH) and Marie Denis (President of the Women’s Rights Advisory Council, author of guides on coercive control, co-founder of the Observatory on Violence Against Women)
- Measures to strengthen women’s political participation at the Brussels regional level, by Kelly Timperman, President of the Brussels Council for Equality between Women and Men (CEFH)
- Council of Europe standards for fostering equal participation, by Cécile Gréboval, Programme Manager, Gender Mainstreaming – Senior Gender Equality Advisor, Council of Europe
- Closing remarks by Corinne François, Director of Brulocalis
13:00 Networking lunch to continue discussions in a friendly atmosphere.