Barbershop at the Nordic house - Mobilizing Men and Boys for Gender Equality

"Mobilizing Men and Boys for Gender Equality in the Baltic Sea Region"

A Barbershop Conference focused on mobilizing men and boys for gender equality will be held at the Nordic House in Reykjavík on 23 May 2017. The conference is hosted by the Icelandic Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Gender inequality is one of the most significant global challenges today. To solve the issue, and to achieve true gender equality, it is of great importance to involve men and boys in the discussion and as a part of the solution. Barbershop events encourage men and boys to become actively engaged in promoting gender equality by better understanding how gender inequality limits the ability of individuals and communities to reach their full human, economic and social potential. 

The Barbershop at the Nordic House will gather government officials, representatives of non–governmental and international organisations, regional networks, law enforcement and civil protection agencies, and other stakeholders from the Baltic Sea region to discuss how gender relates to violence and is an important factor in exploitation and trafficking in human beings. Improved legislative and law enforcement measures can ensure certain progress, but a shift in prevailing norms and attitudes is needed to prevent human trafficking.

Human trafficking is both a legal issue and a social issue, it is a violation of human rights and a breach of social norms. By bringing together experts from a variety of fields, the aim of the event is to forge synergies, provide a different perspective and right tools to address gender inequality and violence and become agents of change.

For more information on registration, please contact: María Mjöll Jónsdóttir (mmj [at] mfa.is) or Ragnar Þorvarðarson (rth [at] mfa.is).