Gender equality is essential for growth and poverty reduction, and it is key to reaching the Millennium Development Goals. However, gender inequalities are still entrenched in many cultural, social and political systems.

In the developing world, women suffer disproportionately from poverty and its related ills, such as malnutrition, poor health and illiteracy.

The EU Gender Action Plan was adopted last year by the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers as a means to supporting the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015.

The MDG on gender equality and women's empowerment (MDG 3) is still lagging behind and MDG 5 on maternal health has made the least progress out of all MDGs. Every year close to half a million women and girls die from pregnancy-related causes.

The EU Action Plan aims notably at:

- ensuring adequate human and financial resources for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE)Place gender equality issues systematically on the agenda of dialogue with partner countries

- strengthening EU support to partner countries in their efforts to achieve MDGs, in particular MDG 3 and MDG 5 and in combating gender-based violence and all forms of discriminations against women and girls.

These will be the key themes of the next EJC-EuropeAid joint seminar on 28 February-2 March in Brussels.

Tailored for reporters covering international/European, social or gender issues, this seminar will give participating journalists an opportunity to discuss the EU strategies with key officials and independent experts.

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