Women’s right to political participation is laid down in a range of international and national legal instruments. Women’s representation in politics has increased across Europe.
However, the experiences of politically active women show that progress has been uneven, and these rights are often constrained in practice. Sexist remarks, unequal access to campaign financing, placement in non-viable positions on party lists, verbal abuse, sexual harassment, threats, and even murder are among the forms of violence and discrimination women face in public life. This violence operates as a deterrent. It targets not only individual women, but sends a broader signal that public participation carries a penalty for women, one that can be avoided only by withdrawing from public life.
This event brings together researchers and policy experts to present the findings from the UNVEIL project, which investigates how violence, exclusion, and online and offline hostility affect women ministers, parliamentarians, journalists, civic activists, and public servants, and how these experiences further shape women’s political participation and representation.
The programme opens with an introduction to the UNVEIL project, followed by a presentation of the conceptual and methodological framework for analysing gender-based violence against women leaders. Case study presentations will then share findings from Greece, Portugal, Poland, and Slovakia, drawing on evidence from politically active women gathered through a survey. These contributions will highlight the forms, intensity, and consequences of hostility faced in different national contexts.
A key theme running through the discussion is the intersection of gender with other social and political identities, including ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, and how these intersections intensify exposure to violence and exclusion. The event will conclude with a roundtable discussion on tech-facilitated gender-based violence and misogyny in online spaces, bringing together researchers and practitioners to reflect on policy responses and digital platform accountability.
At the EUI and the Robert Schuman Centre, we are dedicated to removing barriers and providing equal opportunities for everyone. Please indicate in the registration form your accessibility needs, if any. Alternatively, you can contact the logistics organiser of the event.
This workshop is funded by the EUI Widening Europe Programme. The EUI Widening Europe Programme, backed by contributions from the European Union and EUI Contracting States, is designed to strengthen internationalisation, competitiveness, and quality in research in Widening countries, and thus foster a more cohesive European Higher Education and Research Area.
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