Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar hosts a panel discussion on "Incentives and barriers to achieving a society of equal opportunities" and unveils the exhibition "Let us recognise knowledge and competence in politics"

In her opening speech, President Pirc Musar acknowledged the widespread rise in recent years of movements and sentiments against gender theory, gender equality policies and feminism. "This is also a reality in Slovenia. Traditional roles and expectations still, or again, influence the division of family responsibilities. Every individual has the right to their own opinion and views, which they can express in a peaceful manner. However, as President, I will always work for and unwaveringly support the rights of the LGBT community, women's reproductive rights, feminism and gender equality policies," she said, adding that International Women's Day is therefore also an opportunity to highlight the indispensable role of feminism. "Feminism is not just a movement for women's rights and it is not directed against men; it is not a matter of angry women. It is a struggle for justice, equality and freedom for all people, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other identities. Feminism seeks to dismantle patriarchal structures and systems that perpetuate gender inequality, to eradicate sexism, exploitation and oppression, and to promote the creation of a more inclusive, just and equitable society," said President Pirc Musar.

Prof. Dr Milica Antić Gaber, professor at the Department of Sociology of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Lucija Karnelutti, the first European Union Youth Delegate to the United Nations and a postgraduate in cognitive science, Dr Janez Markeš, journalist and publicist, and manager Marko Podgornik Verdev provided insightful perspectives during the round table discussion on "Incentives and barriers to achieving a society of equal opportunities", focusing on the potential and position of women in society and underlining the need for concerted efforts to achieve social equality.

According to the panellists, the status of women in Slovenian society is gradually improving. While Slovenia has made significant progress in certain areas, it remains essential to benchmark against the highest standards. Positive strides have been made in becoming more sensitive to issues such as violence against women, but there are still several areas where greater efforts are needed to achieve gender equality. In particular, the increased representation of women in politics is a commendable development. Yet the treatment of women in society remains a pressing concern.

To mark this year's International Women's Day, the President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, and the President of the National Assembly, Urška Klakočar Zupančič, who both made history as the first women to hold their respective positions in Slovenia, jointly opened an exhibition of portraits of notable female politicians who have made an indelible contribution to society through their work and values. President Pirc Musar first announced the exhibition during last year's International Women's Day.

At the opening of the exhibition, photographer Jernej Jelen emphasised his intention behind the series of black and white portraits: to tell an intimate story "of a genuine woman, the story of all women, dames, ladies. From the outset, I decided not to embellish or alter the photographs in any way, for both substantive and aesthetic reasons. Without any manipulation. If you add something to a person, you take away a lot, even if it's just a beauty spot on the face." The author adds that by not altering the photographs further, we can preserve the essence of the personality and, with black and white photography, draw attention to the deeper truth around us: "The truth that comes from within. From our soul."

In the morning, President Pirc Musar visited one of Ljubljana's maternity homes and met with the mothers and children there.