The purpose of the Council is to promote greater engagement of women in key decision-making processes in the spheres of legislation, labor market and gender equality, as well as to improve the quality of democracy across the world.
According to the President, her election as Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders is the recognition of Lithuania's leadership. The President's chairmanship of this Council will give Lithuania an opportunity to increase its visibility in the world and will allow our country contribute more actively to improving the position of women and promoting their leadership.
Lithuania is one of the EU member states where women hold at least 40 percent of leading positions in government institutions. Moreover, the gap between working men and women proportions in our country is one of the smallest across the EU.
In her address to the women leaders gathered in New York, the President also underlined that women participation in politics is not a privilege - it is the right to contribute to building the future of their countries. The duty of world leaders is to ensure that this right could be exercised by each and every person, regardless of gender, race, beliefs or economic position.
The Council now has 48 members and the board of directors. The Lithuanian President will chair the Council for a four-year term. She will succeed in this position Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland. Among the members of the Council are also German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, South Korean President Geun-hye Park, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, and other heads of state.
