Symposium on parenthood and political mandates: how do we make politics compatible with parenthood?
On Monday 11 May, The Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies (BrIAS - VUB & ULB), together with the Nederlandstalige Vrouwenraad and ZIJkant, is organising a study day on what is needed in our parliaments and political institutions to combine parenthood with a political mandate.
The occasion is therefore burningly topical: earlier this year, the maternity leave of Flemish minister Melissa Depraetere led to a wide social debate. The reactions made it clear that the image of a politician is still too often difficult to reconcile with that of a parent. At the same time, the institutional framework also proved insufficiently attuned to the reality of care and parenthood within political mandates.
With this symposium, the organisers want to open the debate on gender-sensitive parliaments and inclusive political institutions. How do we ensure that more women and parents can take up and sustain a political mandate?
Finnish professor Petra Ahrens (Tampere University) will open the morning with a keynote on gender-sensitive parliaments in an international perspective, as part of the BrIAS lecture series Big Ideas for Democracy.
This will be followed by a roundtable discussion with Flemish politicians: Eva De Bleeker (Anders.), Hannelore Goeman (Vooruit), Kathleen Depoorter (N-VA), Line De Witte (PVDA), Nadia Naji (Groen) and Vincent Van Peteghem (cd&v).
Moderation by Robin Devroe (VUB).
Practical
Monday 11 May 2026 10.00 - 13.00
BrIAS: Avenue General Jacques 210, Brussels (opposite Etterbeek train station)
Accreditation
Please confirm your attendance via julie.vangarsse@zijkant.be
Press contact
Silvia Erzeel Senior Lecturer in Political Science and VUB Centre for Democratic Futures VUB - silvia.erzeel@vub.be
Julie Van Garsse, Director Sides - julie.vangarsse@zijkant.be - 0496 83 08 30
Programme
09.30 - Doors open10.00 - Welcome by Silvia Erzeel (BrIAS)10.05 - Introduction keynote by Jana Van Acker (Women's Council) and Silvia Erzeel (BrIAS)
10.15 am - Keynote by Prof Petra AhrensThe international norm of Gender-Sensitive Parliaments: Navigating Inequality and Inclusion in Democracies under Pressure
11:00 - Q&A11:15 - Break
11.30 am - Introduction roundtable discussion by Julie Van Garsse (Sides)11.35 am - Belgian context by Robin Devroe (VUB)
11.45 a.m. - Roundtable discussionWhat is needed today in our parliaments and political institutions to combine motherhood and parenthood with a political mandate 12.30 p.m. - Q&A1 p.m.
