Ljubljana, Slovenia – July 2–4, 2025
The RE-WIRING project took center stage at the 12th Annual Conference of the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law, held at the University of Ljubljana and co-hosted by the Advocate of the Principle of Equality from 2 to 4 July 2025.
This year’s theme, “The (R)evolution of Equality Law: Reflecting on 25 Years of Anti-Discrimination Law in Europe & Beyond,” marked a milestone in the evolution of equality law, commemorating the transformative adoption of the Employment Equality Directive (2000/78/EC) and the Race Equality Directive (2000/43/EC) in the year 2000. These landmark directives laid the groundwork for a comprehensive EU legal framework aimed at tackling discrimination on multiple grounds, including race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, gender, and sexual orientation.
While these directives were pivotal in shaping a common legal language and vision across the EU, challenges remain in addressing multiple and intersectional discrimination, and in tackling the structural inequalities that persist across social, economic, and generational divides. New and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, have added further complexity to the legal and ethical landscape of equality.
Against this backdrop, the RE-WIRING project hosted a plenary panel on Friday, 4 July, entitled:
“Transformative Equality in Practice: Gender Representation, Equal Pay and Crisis Response.”
The panel featured: Linda Senden, Elena Ghidoni, Anju Anna John, Panos Kapotas.
The speakers explored the practical application of transformative equality principles, with a focus on gender-balanced representation in leadership, pay equity, and the role of equality law during times of economic and societal crisis. Drawing on insights from RE-WIRING’s interdisciplinary research, the panel emphasized the need for a more nuanced, inclusive, and adaptive legal framework—one capable of addressing both visible and structural forms of inequality.
The RE-WIRING session was met with great interest and discussion among participants, underscoring the project’s contribution to reshaping the discourse on equality in Europe and beyond. As equality law continues to evolve, the RE-WIRING project stands as a key actor in driving forward legal innovation, policy reform, and transformative change.
Leave a Reply