{
    "title": "Symposium on parenthood and political mandates: how do we make politics compatible with parenthood?",
    "modified_at": "2026-05-08 09:00:02",
    "published_at": "2026-05-08 09:00:00",
    "url": "https://press.vub.ac.be/symposium-on-parenthood-and-political-mandates-how-do-we-make-politics-compatible-with-parenthood",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/IoGd",
    "culture": "en",
    "language": "EN",
    "subtitle": "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. ",
    "slug": "symposium-on-parenthood-and-political-mandates-how-do-we-make-politics-compatible-with-parenthood",
    "body": "<p>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.</p><p>With this symposium, the organisers want to open the debate on gender-sensitive parliaments and inclusive political institutions. <strong>How do we ensure that more women and parents can take up and sustain a political mandate?</strong></p><p>Finnish professor <strong>Petra Ahrens</strong> (Tampere University) will open the morning with a keynote on gender-sensitive parliaments in an international perspective, as part of the BrIAS lecture series <em>Big Ideas for Democracy</em>. </p><p>This will be followed by a roundtable discussion with Flemish politicians: <strong>Eva De Bleeker</strong> (Anders.), <strong>Hannelore Goeman</strong> (Vooruit), <strong>Kathleen Depoorter</strong> (N-VA), <strong>Line De Witte</strong> (PVDA), <strong>Nadia Naji</strong> (Groen) and <strong>Vincent Van Peteghem</strong> (cd&amp;v). </p><p>Moderation by Robin Devroe (VUB).</p><p> </p>\n    <figure\n        class=\"release-content-image release-content-image--expanded release-content-image--align-center\"\n        data-component=\"image-zoom-popup\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-selector=\".release-content-image__image\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-i18n=\"data:application/json;base64,eyJEb3dubG9hZCI6IkRvd25sb2FkIn0=\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-views-event=\"Story Image View\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-tracking-download-event=\"Story Image Download\"\n        data-image-zoom-popup-placement=\"content\"\n    >\n        <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover\" style=\"width: 83.61%\">\n            <img\n                src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/537f9e4a-aac2-433d-bae1-1314a055c934/-/format/auto/\"\n                                class=\"release-content-image__image image-thumbnail-rollover__image\"\n                data-description=\"\"\n                id=\"image-537f9e4a-aac2-433d-bae1-1314a055c934\"\n                data-id=\"537f9e4a-aac2-433d-bae1-1314a055c934\"\n                data-original=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/537f9e4a-aac2-433d-bae1-1314a055c934/-/inline/no/Untitled\"\n                data-mfp-src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/537f9e4a-aac2-433d-bae1-1314a055c934/-/format/auto/\"\n                alt=\"Story image\"\n            />\n            <div class=\"image-thumbnail-rollover__caption\">\n                <svg class=\"icon icon-expand image-thumbnail-rollover__caption-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-expand\"></use>\n            </svg>            </div>\n        </div>\n\n        <figcaption class=\"release-content-image__caption\"></figcaption>\n    </figure>\n<p><strong>Practical</strong></p><p>Monday 11 May 2026 10.00 - 13.00 </p><p>BrIAS: Avenue General Jacques 210, Brussels (opposite Etterbeek train station)</p><p> <strong>Accreditation</strong></p><p>Please confirm your attendance via <a href=\"mailto:julie.vangarsse@zijkant.be\">julie.vangarsse@zijkant.be</a></p><p> <strong>Press contact</strong></p><p>Silvia Erzeel Senior Lecturer in Political Science and VUB Centre for Democratic Futures VUB - <a href=\"mailto:silvia.erzeel@vub.be\">silvia.erzeel@vub.be</a> </p><p> </p><p>Julie Van Garsse, Director Sides - <a href=\"mailto:julie.vangarsse@zijkant.be\">julie.vangarsse@zijkant.be</a> - 0496 83 08 30</p><p> </p><h4 id=\"programme\" ><strong>Programme</strong></h4><p><strong>09.30</strong> - Doors open<strong>10.00</strong> - Welcome by Silvia Erzeel (BrIAS)<strong>10.05</strong> - Introduction keynote by Jana Van Acker (Women&#039;s Council) and Silvia Erzeel (BrIAS)</p><p><strong>10.15 am</strong> - Keynote by Prof Petra Ahrens<em>The international norm of Gender-Sensitive Parliaments: Navigating Inequality and Inclusion in Democracies under Pressure</em> </p><p><strong>11:00</strong> - Q&amp;A<strong>11:15</strong> - Break</p><p><strong>11.30 am</strong> - Introduction roundtable discussion by Julie Van Garsse (Sides)<strong>11.35 am</strong> - Belgian context by Robin Devroe (VUB)</p><p><strong>11.45 a.m.</strong> - Roundtable discussion<em>What is needed today in our parliaments and political institutions to combine motherhood and parenthood with a political mandate</em> <strong>12.30 p.m.</strong> - Q&amp;A<strong>1 p.m.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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