Brussels - How do you seat the guests at a diplomatic dinner when the ladies outnumber the gentlemen five to one?It may sound like an exercise from a nineteenth-century etiquette manual, but Jose Manuel Barroso, the suave and smiling head of the European Commission, is set to face it Wednesday as he hosts a lunch for lady ambassadors in Brussels to mark International Women's Day.
"There is a long-standing tradition in the commission to celebrate March 8 (the official date of international women's day) - not only through press releases, but also through discussions involving members of the commission with different representatives of political authorities and other stakeholders," Barroso's spokesman said.
"This time ... it is with the ambassadors," he said.
The European Union has long prided itself on its defence of women's rights, legislating strongly on issues such as gender discrimination and labour law as applied to women.
Barroso himself insisted during the formation of his commission in 2004 that women be well represented on his team. At present, eight of 27 commissioners are women, with a ninth due to join soon.
March 8 is designated by the United Nations as International Women's Day, but since the day falls on a Saturday this year, Barroso is to host the lunch on the preceding Wednesday, his spokesman said.
His 26 guests are set to include the lady ambassadors to the EU of countries ranging from Albania and Botswana to Kuwait, Mexico and the Philippines, sources in the commission said.
But Barroso will not be the only man at the table: at least three male advisors are set to back him up, while other male commissioners could also attend, Barroso's officials said.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU's lady commissioner for external relations, is also set to attend the lunch.
The following day, she is set to host a conference entitled "Women: stabilizing an insecure world," bringing together more than 50 international women politicians, business leaders and activists from around the world.
