The International Conference Equal Pay Day 2025, held in Prague on 25-26 March under the theme “Potential”, brought together some 1.800 participants and featured 30 speakers at the main conference, with a hundred of attendees at the second event, Empower Day. With 32 international guests from 25 different countries, the event had a notably international presence. Speakers shared best practices and insights from their countries, highlighting successful initiatives and policies in areas such as mentoring, investment support, work-life balance, and mental health.
Organised by the Business & Professional Women CR (BPWCR), in collaboration with major international partners from various sectors, the event was recognised as this year’s CEI Flagship Event.
In particular, the CEI – in the framework of the so-called “Equal Pay Day Conference Going International! IV” project – supported the participation of a group of professional women from the CEI region, especially from non-EU countries, providing them with the opportunity to get involved in the conference and experience its mentoring and networking activities. The purpose of the project, which was initiated in 2022 and then further developed, was to collectively reflect on how gender inequalities lead to significant societal impacts, particularly the untapped potential of underrepresented women, and at the same time strengthen the community of empowerment organisations from the CEI countries.
CEI National Coordinator for the Czech Republic, Hana Hubáčková, also attended the conference as well as the ambassadors of Romania, Croatia and Moldova.
Lenka Šťastná, founder and president of BPWCR, commented,
The involvement of international partners allows us to open a debate on a global level and share best practices from different countries. We want to not only inform but also inspire change and support women in their professional growth.
The conference highlighted support for Ukrainian women and girls in the region. Speakers from UNICEF, as well as Ukrainian experts and businesswomen, shared their experiences and challenges related to employment in new circumstances. A special programme focused on career development for young Ukrainian graduates, offering mentoring and networking opportunities with potential employers.
The conference also produced a manifesto titled It’s Time to Close the Pay Gap, which includes actionable recommendations for addressing the gender wage gap. This document will serve as a key takeaway from the conference, providing clear guidance to stakeholders and encouraging active collaboration toward closing the gender pay gap.
For more info: fabro@cei.int
