Simone Veil

Well, first of all, I've always thought that this institution deserved more visibility.

I come from a political background where politics and politicians need to explain what they say, why they vote as they do and what they stand for.

Right.

And when I first got elected five years ago to the presidency, we were still quite in the middle of the COVID pandemic, where everybody, everything was still online.

And I must say, I have a very good group of leaders who really have a difficult time, of course, managing their very diverse groups, some with many members, some with less.

But they also recognize that things have to change.

They belong also to the generation of politicians that say, we are part of the change makers.

And slowly, slowly, I think we're managing.

We are putting together a jury to create a prize on gender equality from the French president.

We want to honor individuals or organizations who are making a huge impact on gender equality in the name of Simone Weil, who was an exceptional woman, who was a survivor of Auschwitz, became the first woman Minister for Health.

HELP brought in the law for abortion for women to give women's rights and their reproductive health in France.

And then went on to become the first woman president of the European Parliament.