A group of young female high school students from Monaco have been invited to meet with Brigitte Boccone-Pagès, the current President of the Principality’s National Council, to learn more about the importance of women in politics.  

Monaco will honour the International Day of the Girl on Wednesday 11th October by inviting 20 high school students from its lycées to the headquarters of its Conseil National, or National Council in English.

Led by the SheCanHeCan movement in the Principality, the initiative will give the next generation of Monaco resident women a chance to visit their parliament and “learn from elected female MPs about their experiences”.

According to the association, it will be a “unique opportunity for all the students present to learn more about the role and importance of women in politics and the specific challenges they face”.

Women in politics

The students have been invited to the premises by Brigitte Boccones–Pagès, the first female President of the Conseil National, and Christine Pasquier-Ciulla, President of the Commission for the Rights of Family and Equality, as well as other key female officials from the Principality, such as Isabelle Bonnal, Commissioner in charge of Education, Youth and Sports, and Celine Cottalorda, Interministerial Delegate in charge of Women’s Rights in Monaco. Female representatives from the Mairie de Monaco are also expected to take part in the event.  

It is set to be a thoroughly open and interactive meeting, where the students will be encouraged to ask questions and share their own ideas about the role of women in politics. 

“They will also learn more about the role and history of the Conseil National, as well as the history and challenges faced by female politicians globally,” says a spokesperson for the SheCanHeCan movement.  

The theme of the internationally recognised date is, this year, ‘Investing in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership and Our Wellbeing’, which aligns perfectly with the local actions in Monaco to bring young women into contact with their own leaders in the Principality since 2017.  

“It is crucial to call on elected officials to address factors which are still holding girls back, but also to work on redefining the traditional perceptions of leadership skills while addressing the specific challenges still faced by women in power,” says Vibeke Thomsen, the founder of SheCanHeCan.

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Photo source: Conseil National de Monaco