At the beginning of the new academic year at MEI, on October 25, 2024, the traditional European Lecture was given by Prof. Dr. Dragica Vujadinović on the topic “Gender Equality as a European Value”. In her lecture, Prof. Vujadinović explored gender equality (GE) as both a civilizational and European value. The discussion began by examining feminist political discourse, emphasizing patriarchy as a root of gender discrimination and introducing intersectionality as a framework for addressing complex, layered discrimination. Prof. Vujadinović detailed the historical struggle for gender equality, from early feminist movements to contemporary challenges in a globalized world influenced by neoliberalism.

The lecture then covered legal perspectives on gender equality, advocating for substantive rather than formal equality. Prof. Vujadinović highlighted Sandra Fredman’s “four-dimensional approach” to achieving true gender justice, which incorporated dimensions like redistributive justice, recognition, participation, and structural change. EU policies, directives, and international treaties, such as the Istanbul Convention, were discussed as crucial tools for promoting gender equality across member states, acknowledging both progress and ongoing challenges within the European context. The conclusion reaffirmed GE as a normative task, emphasizing the need for comprehensive legal and social reform to overcome systemic discrimination.

At the end, a very engaging discussion took place, about the main ideas presented during the lecture.