Statement
International Women’s Day - Governor Monticelli's statement
08 March 2023
Today is
International Women’s Day. It is a day
to celebrate diversity and embrace equality.
Gender inequality remains a major challenge throughout the world, including in Europe. It is an obstacle to economic development, social cohesion and progress. It undermines the potential of us all, men and women alike.
The CEB invests in projects with the aim of fostering social inclusion across its 42 member countries. Reducing gender inequality and empowering women and girls are key to this mission and the Bank’s daily efforts of countering discrimination. In fact, gender equality is a prominent cross-cutting theme to guide our work under our Strategic Framework 2023-2027, approved last December.
The CEB is leading by example, by investing in projects that encourage entrepreneurship among women, and constantly improving how it assesses the gender impact of its operations. Moreover, gender considerations have been central in shaping the CEB’s response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, as women and children comprise the majority of refugees fleeing the war.
The CEB strives to further gender equality in its internal governance, too. Over half of its staff are women, and at a time in which the gender pay gap remains all too wide in most countries, including in some of our member countries, the Bank rigorously applies the principle of equal pay for equivalent work. Indeed, we are pleased to announce that the CEB has just earned the Move level of EDGE certification for gender equality in the workplace, an award accorded to just a few other international organisations and International Financial Institutions. The CEB has pursued gender equality with constancy and determination and this new milestone, particularly worth recalling on International Women’s Day, is a testimony of the Bank’s commitment.
While we can be proud of the results achieved, we are not complacent and know all too well that more needs to be done to promote diversity and inclusion. This is the right thing to do. This will make us all stronger, better and happier.
Set up in 1956, the CEB (Council of Europe Development Bank) has 42 member states. Twenty-two Central, Eastern and South Eastern European countries, forming the Bank's target countries, are listed among the member states. As a major instrument of the policy of solidarity in Europe, the Bank finances social projects by making available resources raised in conditions reflecting the quality of its rating (Aa1 with Moody's, on review for upgrade, AAA with Standard & Poor's, outlook stable, AA+ with Fitch Ratings, outlook positive and AAA* with Scope Ratings, outlook stable). It thus grants loans to its member states, and to financial institutions and local authorities in its member states for the financing of projects in the social sector, in accordance with its Articles of Agreement.
*unsolicited