MATERA – On 4, 5 and 6 October, in the evocative setting of the city of Matera, the G7 Equal Opportunities Meeting was held, an event of great international importance that brought together representatives of the world’s leading powers to discuss and define future strategies for the promotion of inclusion, gender equality and the rights of minorities. Matera was the focal point of a global debate on pressing topical issues, with the aim of creating common policies to promote real progress in the field of equal opportunities.
Matera, already recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and European Capital of Culture 2019, provided the ideal setting to host this meeting, thanks to its historical and cultural heritage, which symbolically united past and future in an inclusive vision of a global society. During the three days, delegations from Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States worked together to outline a concrete agenda capable of responding to the most pressing challenges in the areas of human rights, gender equality and social inclusion.
The main themes addressed were:
Gender Equality and Women’s Representation – One of the main topics on the agenda was the strengthening of women’s presence in key sectors, from politics to business via science and technology. Delegations discussed the importance of introducing structural measures to overcome the gender gap, with a focus on supporting working mothers and reducing the wage gap.
Gender Violence and Human Rights Protection – Great emphasis was placed on the need to combat gender violence in all its forms. Among the proposals that emerged was a coordinated plan among G7 countries to strengthen cooperation in the fight against domestic violence, human trafficking and forced marriages. Delegations agreed on the need to ensure effective protection for women and girls, with particular attention to the most vulnerable.
Inclusion of Minorities and Persons with Disabilities – It was also discussed how equal opportunity policies should be extended not only at the gender level, but to all minorities. Among the priorities outlined was the inclusion of people with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community, for whom a collective effort was proposed to promote laws that guarantee full dignity and rights.
Impact of Green and Digital Transition on Equal Opportunities – An innovative theme that emerged strongly during the G7 was the link between green and digital transition and equal opportunities. The need was highlighted to ensure that the technological revolution and energy transition do not exclude women and minorities, but rather become drivers of inclusion, through educational programmes and incentive policies to ensure their active participation in emerging sectors.
The results achieved and the final balance:
The G7 concluded with an extremely positive balance sheet, marked by strong cohesion among the participating countries and a concrete commitment towards the adoption of common measures. At the end of the three days, the ‘Matera Pact’ was signed, a document that marks the beginning of a joint action plan to increase equal opportunities at a global level. The most relevant measures include the establishment of an international fund to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries and the commitment to double investment in educational programmes that promote women’s leadership in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.
Italy, as the host country, played a leading role, with the Minister for Equal Opportunities reiterating the importance of transforming the proposals discussed into implementable policies at national and international level. ‘This G7 represented a crucial step towards a fairer and more inclusive world. The issues discussed are fundamental to ensuring a future in which every individual, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or social conditions, can have the same opportunities,’ the Minister said in his closing speech.
With the closing of this G7, Matera not only confirmed its role as a city symbol of culture and dialogue, but also hosted a moment of great change that will have a significant impact on the future of inclusion policies. The shared hope is that the decisions taken during these days can soon translate into tangible results for millions of people around the world.
W7 2024 in Matera strengthens commitment to gender equality: training, combating economic violence and global inclusion.
On 6 October 2024, the important event Women 7 2024 (W7) ‘G7 Gender Equality Ministers and Civil Society Dialogue’ was held in Matera, at the Auditorium R. Gervasio in Piazza del Sedile. This event, organised as a platform for open dialogue between government delegations and civil society, was also accessible via streaming, enabling global participation. The meeting offered a unique opportunity for experts and activists to exchange and share their experiences, focusing on the main gender equality issues discussed during the G7 Italy 2024.
Women 7 is the official G7 Gender Equality Engagement Group, composed of one hundred delegates from G7 member countries. Since its creation in 2018, the W7 aims to ensure that gender issues are central to G7 discussions, influencing global policies and related commitments in the G7 Leaders’ Final Declaration.
With Italy leading the W7 from 11 December 2023, the Matera dialogue touched on key issues such as climate justice, combating violence against women and girls, labour and women’s empowerment, as well as peace and the fight against discrimination. The day strengthened dialogue between governments and civil society, promoting the integration of gender issues into global policy debates and stimulating concrete commitments for the future.
The event concluded with a strong awareness of the importance of women’s role in international decision-making, reaffirming the need for inclusive policies to ensure greater gender equity and social justice on a global scale.
Speakers at the event included Prof. Laura Mazza, Secretary of the Mediterranean Parliament and President of Federformazione, who in her speech defined the strategic role of training for women’s empowerment.
‘Achieving gender equality, a common goal for Goal 5 of the UN 2030 Agenda and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, was once again the goal of the G7 Woman7. Every time a woman fights for herself, she fights for all Women’.
Claudia Segre, President of Global Thinking Foundation, touched on the topic of combating economic and financial violence. ‘Economic violence is a devious and often hidden phenomenon, which manifests itself in the control of financial resources and the hindering of the economic autonomy of victims, particularly women. Legislation is needed to define and punish economic violence, as is already the case for other forms of gender-based violence. At the same time, it is necessary to provide specific protections for victims, such as facilitated access to free legal and financial counselling’.
The delegation of G7 ministers and numerous international institutional representatives took part in the event, including:
- Eugenia Roccella, Minister for the Family, Birth Rate and Equal Opportunities
- Lella Golfo, (video), Martina Rogato, Claudia Segre, Anna Maria Tartaglia (Co-Chairs Women 7 and Honorable President W7)
- Helena Dalli, Commissioner for Equality, European Commission Dalli
- Marina Terragni, President GEAC 2024,
- Squicciarini Maria Grazia, UNESCO
- Alessandra Ricci, CEO SACE
- Martina Rogato, Women7
- Fabio Pompei, CEO Deloitte Italy, Greece and Malta with Barbara Pontecorvo, Partner and Head of Task Force Society Benefit Deloitte.
