The HERA project was present at the 11th International Digital Public Health Conference held in Barcelona, Spain, from 24 to 26 June 2026. This event brought together a diverse international cohort of professionals, stakeholders, and academics.
The project was presented at the plenary session “The Menopause Mission – Digital Empowerment for Healthy Ageing for Women”. The abstract, authored by Nina Soenderbe, Lars Münter, Andrea Marinho, and Carina Dantas, addresses an often-overlooked topic in discussions about healthy ageing, workforce participation, and digital inclusion: the impact of menopause on women’s wellbeing, confidence, career progression, and access to opportunities in later life.
As a partner in the HERA – Helping Empower Women through Reskilling and Advancement project, SHINE 2Europe is committed to supporting women aged 45+ through innovative approaches that combine lifelong learning, digital empowerment, community engagement, and policy innovation. HERA aims to reduce gender inequalities by helping women navigate the challenges and opportunities created by the digital and green transitions, while strengthening inclusion, employability, and wellbeing.
The Menopause Mission aligns closely with HERA’s vision. By promoting digital literacy, access to trusted information, peer support, and empowerment throughout key life transitions, initiatives such as this contribute to creating more inclusive societies and healthier ageing trajectories for women. The discussion also reinforced the importance of addressing health, wellbeing, employment, and lifelong learning as interconnected dimensions of active participation in society.
At SHINE, we believe that empowering women is not only about supporting career transitions; it is about creating the conditions for confidence, health, participation, and lifelong growth. Through HERA, we continue working with partners across Europe to co-create solutions that ensure inclusivity in our increasingly digital world.
