Walk the talk | Your PES Group newsletter

The fight for women’s rights has been at the centre stage of our action throughout this month. Beyond the traditional celebration of International Women’s Day, we stand up for an inclusive society in which women can feel safe: in every place and at any time.

From gender-mainstreaming as a tool for better policy-making, raising awareness of the gender dimension of the climate crisis to rethinking the way we navigate our cities, much can be done. 

Progressive local and regional leaders walk the talk. Scroll down to discover how they ​ promote gender equality and combat violence against women. 👇👇👇

 📢 Every place in Europe must be a #SafePlace4Women!

As Socialists, we demand that the impact of all public policies on women is strictly assessed. This is why we call upon municipalities, cities and regions to declare themselves a #SafePlace4Women.

The resolution sets out 12 measures that aim at translating the principle of zero-tolerance to violence against women into concrete actions. Read the opinion piece by our Socialist leaders and join our campaign!

👩 Bremen is a front-runner in combating violence against women

In 2022, Bremen established an Istanbul Convention Regional Action Plan. It suggests concrete measures to prevent violence, create awareness, train professionals to identify possible victims of violence and educate the public about the issue. Get inspired by the #ProgressiveLocalStories of Antje Grotheer. 

🌹 February that changed Europe forever

On the first anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, PES Group President Christophe Rouillon and several PES Group members took part in the Committee of the Region’s gathering in Gdańsk, Poland, to express their solidarity and unconditional support to the Ukrainian people. Read more.

🤠 Towards a sustainable use of pesticides

Reducing the use and the risk of pesticides is the only way to consolidate a sustainable food system and to ensure food sovereignty in Europe without destroying biodiversity. At the same time, we need to make sure that in the transition to a sustainable agriculture no farmer is left behind. Our rapporteur Heinz-Joachim Höfer has more. 

🏠 Homes are for people, not for profit

Regulating short-term rentals is essential for many cities and regions across the European Union, if we want to make that #HousingForAll a reality! Find out more.

🙌 Time to dive into European politics

Are you a young elected local or regional politician who wants to broaden his/her horizons and exchange experiences with other cities and regions? If you are under the age of 40 and you are eager to know what your counterparts are doing to be more social and sustainable, you should definitely apply for the Young Elected Politician programme 2023 of the European Committee of the Regions. 

❤️ ​ Progressive Local Stories ❤️

We love sharing what progressive cities and regions do, as they can inspire many others with their stories. This month, we bring you the example of Arianna Censi, whose city, Milan, is looking into urban forestry and how it can better shape urban spaces.

What’s coming next?

📢 The Young European Socialists are hiring a new Project Officer! Do you have a good knowledge of the socialist and social-democratic political family, especially at the European level? Apply by 30 March. 

🙏 For the header photo, we thank: jeshoots on Unsplash