In the context of the 2021 Spanish co-presidency of the 5+5 Dialogue and drawing on the Tunis Declaration adopted by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Western Mediterranean countries on 22 October 2020, the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), founding member of the Euro-Mediterranean Women’s Foundation, organised an online conference entitled “Fostering Women’s Economic Participation in the Western Mediterranean”. Under the guidance of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, this online conference sought to contribute with policy recommendations to the deliberations of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Western Mediterranean area in their annual meeting under the Spanish co-presidency of the 5+5 Dialogue.

In line with the UN 2030 Agenda, and particularly with SDG number 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls), this online conference sought to present gender equality as a cross-sectional axis to build more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable societies. This conference aimed to map the gender economic disparities that traverse the Western Mediterranean area whilst presenting successful practices that foster women’s economic participation in the countries of the region. 

The dialogue ensuing from the discussion and the exchange of good practices led to the creation of public policy recommendations that aim to pave the wayfor in-depth economic and social transformations. These recommendationsand reflections by the participants are summarised in this report.