COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025
Date: 2020-03-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: EU strategy, equal treatment, fight against crime, gender equality, participation of women, sexual discrimination, sexual violence, women's rights, work-life balance

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 5.3.2020  COM(2020) 152 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025              
 
 
TOWARDS A GENDER-EQUAL EUROPE 

“In all its activities, the Union shall aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, 
between men and women.”  

Article 8 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union 

“We  should  not  be  shy  about  being  proud  of  where  we  are  or  ambitious  about  where  we 
want to go.” 

- President Ursula von der Leyen 
Political Guidelines 

The  promotion  of  equality  between  women  and  men  is  a  task  for  the  Union,  in  all  its 
activities,  required  by  the  Treaties.  Gender  equality  is  a  core  value  of  the  EU,  a 
fundamental right1 and key principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights2. It is a reflection 
of  who  we  are.  It  is  also  an  essential  condition  for  an  innovative,  competitive  and  thriving 
European economy. In business, politics and society as a whole, we can only reach our full 
potential  if  we  use  all  of  our  talent  and  diversity.  Gender  equality  brings  more  jobs  and 
higher  productivity3  –  a  potential  which  needs  to  be  realised  as  we  embrace  the  green  and 
digital transitions and face up to our demographic challenges. 

The  European  Union  is  a  global  leader  in  gender  equality:  14  of  the  top  20  countries 
worldwide  on  gender  equality  are  EU  Member  States4.  Thanks  to  robust  equal  treatment 
legislation  and  jurisprudence5,  efforts  to  mainstream  the  gender6  perspective  into  different 
policy areas, and laws to address particular inequalities, the EU has made significant progress 
in gender equality in the last decades. 

1 See Articles 2 and 3(3) TEU, Articles 8, 10, 19 and 157 TFEU and Articles 21 and 23 of the EU Charter of 
Fundamental Rights. 
2 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/social-summit-european-pillar-social-rights-
booklet_en.pdf. 
3 By 2050, improving gender equality would lead to an increase in the EU’s GDP per capita by 6.1% to 9.6%, 
which  amounts  to  €1.95  to  €3.15  trillion:  https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/policy-areas/economic-
and-financial-affairs/economic-benefits-gender-equality. 
4  As  regards  the  implementation  of  the  Sustainable  Development  Goal  5  on  gender  equality,  according  to  the 
2019 EM2030 SDG Gender Index: https://data.em2030.org/em2030-sdg-gender-index/. 
5  The  EU  has  adopted  six  Directives  covering  equality  between  women  and  men  in  the  workplace,  in  self-
employment,  in  access  to  goods  and  services,  in  social  security,  in  pregnancy  and  maternity  and  on  family-
related leave and flexible working arrangements for parents and carers. Together they have progressively set a 
legal  standard  across  Europe  ensuring  a  broad  protection  from  discrimination.  Numerous  cases  brought  to  the 
European Court of Justice have further strengthened the principle of equality and delivered justice for victims of 
discrimination. 
6  ‘Gender’  shall  mean  the  socially  constructed  roles,  behaviours,  activities  and  attributes  that  a  given  society 
considers appropriate for women and men, see Article 3(c) of the Council of Europe  Convention on preventing 
and combating violence against women and domestic violence.   

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However,  no  Member  State  has  achieved  full  gender  equality  and  progress  is  slow. 
Member States on average scored 67.4 out of 100 in the EU Gender Equality Index 20197, a 
score which has improved by just 5.4 points since 2005. 

Unfortunately  progress  with  regard  to  gender  equality  is  neither  inevitable  nor 
irreversible.  We  therefore  need  to  give  a  new  impetus  to  gender  equality.  While  the 
gender  gap  in  education  is  being  closed,  gender  gaps  in  employment,  pay,  care,  power  and 
pensions persist. Too many people still violate the principle of gender equality through sexist 
hate  speech  and  by  blocking  action  against  gender-based  violence  and  gender  stereotypes. 
Gender-based violence and harassment  continue  at  alarming levels.  The  #MeToo movement 
has demonstrated the extent of sexism and abuse that women and girls continue to face. At the 
same  time,  it  has  empowered  women  across  the  globe  to  now  come  forward  with  their 
experiences and bring cases to court.  

This  Gender  Equality  Strategy  frames  the  European  Commission’s  work  on  gender 
equality and sets out the policy objectives and key actions for the 2020-2025 period8. It 
aims at achieving a gender equal Europe where gender-based violence, sex discrimination and 
structural inequality between women and men are a thing of the past. A Europe where women 
and men, girls and boys, in all their diversity9, are equal. Where they are free to pursue their 
chosen path in life, where they have equal opportunities to thrive, and where they can equally 
participate in and lead our European society. 

The implementation of this strategy will be based on the dual approach of targeted measures 
to  achieve  gender  equality,  combined  with  strengthened  gender  mainstreaming.  The 
Commission  will  enhance  gender  mainstreaming  by  systematically  including  a  gender 
perspective  in  all  stages  of  policy  design  in  all  EU  policy  areas,  internal  and  external. 
The strategy will be implemented using intersectionality10 – the combination of gender with 
other  personal  characteristics  or  identities,  and  how  these  intersections  contribute  to  unique 
experiences of discrimination – as a cross-cutting principle. 

In  this  year  of  2020,  which  marks  the  25th  anniversary  of  the  adoption  of  the  Beijing 
Declaration  and  Platform  for  Action11  –  the  first  universal  commitment  and  action  plan  to 
advance  on  equality  between  women  and  men  –  this  strategy  is  the  EU’s  contribution  to 
shaping  a  better  world  for  women  and  men,  girls  and  boys.  It  delivers  on  the  gender 
equality Sustainable Development  Goal  (SDG 5), gender equality as a cross-cutting priority 

7 See European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE): https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/2019.  
8 Following the Commission's 2016-2019 strategic engagement for gender equality. 
9  The  expression  ‘in  all  their  diversity’  is  used  in  this  strategy  to  express  that,  where  women  or  men  are 
mentioned,  these  are  a  heterogeneous  categories  including  in  relation  to  their  sex,  gender  identity,  gender 
expression or sex characteristics. It affirms the commitment to leave no one behind and achieve a gender equal 
Europe for everyone, regardless of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual 
orientation. 
10 EIGE defines ‘intersectionality’ as an “analytical tool for studying, understanding and responding to the ways 
in  which  sex  and  gender  intersect  with  other  personal  characteristics/identities,  and  how  these  intersections 
contribute 
to  unique  experiences  of  discrimination”  (See:  https://eige.europa.eu/thesaurus/terms/1263). 
According to Article 10 TFEU, when “defining and implementing its policies and activities, the Union shall aim 
to  combat  discrimination  based  on  sex,  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  religion  or  belief,  disability,  age  or  sexual 
orientation”. 
11 https://beijing20.unwomen.org/en/about. 

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of all SDGs12, and on the EU’s commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons 
with Disabilities. 

1.   Being free from violence and stereotypes 

Everyone should be safe in  their homes, in  their close relationships,  in  their  workplaces, in 
public spaces, and online.  Women and men, girls and boys, in  all their diversity, should be 
free  to  express  their  ideas  and  emotions,  and  pursue  their  chosen  educational  and 
professional paths without the constraints of stereotypical gender norms. 

Ending gender-based violence 

Gender-based violence – or violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman 
or that affects women disproportionately13 – remains one of our societies’ biggest challenges 
and is deeply rooted in  gender inequality14. Gender-based violence, in all its forms, remains 
under-reported and overlooked, both inside and outside the EU. The EU will do all it can to 
prevent and combat gender-based violence, support and protect victims of such crimes, 
and hold perpetrators accountable for their abusive behaviour. 

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and 
domestic  violence  –  the  ‘Istanbul  Convention’  –  is  the  benchmark  for  international 
standards  in  this  field.  The  EU  signed  the  Convention  in  2017,  and  concluding  the  EU’s 
accession  is  a  key  priority  for  the  Commission.  To  accelerate  the  conclusion  of  the  EU’s 
accession, the European Parliament requested in 2019 an opinion from the European Court of 
Justice on this issue15. 

Should  the  EU’s  accession  to  the  Istanbul  Convention  remain  blocked,  the  Commission 
intends  to  propose  in  2021  measures,  within  the  limits  of  EU  competence,  to  achieve  the 
same objectives as the Istanbul Convention. 

The  Commission  intends  in  particular  to  present  an  initiative  with  a  view  to  extending  the 
areas of crime where harmonisation is possible to specific forms of gender-based violence in 
accordance with Article 83(1) TFEU, the so-called Eurocrimes. 

To  the  extent  that  they  are  already  apprehended  by  the  existing  Eurocrimes  within  the 
meaning  of  Article  83(1)  TFEU,  the  Commission  will  propose  additional  measures  to 
prevent and combat specific forms of gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, 
abuse of women and female genital mutilation (FGM). 

12 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/policies/sustainable-development-goals_en. 
13 Article 3(d) of the Istanbul Convention. 
14 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), ‘Violence against women: an EU-wide survey’, 2014 
– see infographics. 
15  Request  for  an  opinion  submitted  by  the  European  Parliament  pursuant  to  Article  218(11)  TFEU  (Opinion 
1/19). 

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Female  genital  mutilation16,  forced  abortion  and  forced  sterilisation,  early  and  forced 
marriage,  so-called  ‘honour-related  violence’  and  other  harmful  practices  against  women 
and  girls  are  forms  of  gender-based  violence  and  serious  violations  of  women’s  and 
children’s rights within the EU and around the world. In addition to possible legislation, the 
EU  will  table  a  Recommendation  on  the  prevention  of  harmful  practices,  including  the 
need for effective pre-emptive measures and acknowledging the importance of education. The 
recommendation  will  also  address  the  strengthening  of  public  services,  prevention  and 
support measures, capacity-building of professionals and victim-centred access to justice.  

The  Commission  will  also  present  a  Victims’  Rights  Strategy  in  2020,  which  will  address 
the specific needs of victims of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, building 
on the Victims’ Rights Directive17. 

Women  who  have  a  health  problem  or  disability  are  more  likely  to  experience  various 
forms  of  violence.18  The  Commission  will  develop  and  finance  measures19  to  tackle  abuse, 
violence  as  well  as  forced  sterilisation  and  forced  abortion,  such  as  capacity-building  of 
professionals and awareness-raising campaigns on rights and access to justice. 

Effective prevention of violence is key. It involves educating boys and girls  from  an early 
age about gender equality and supporting the development of non-violent relationships. It also 
requires  a  multi-disciplinary  approach  among  professionals  and  services  including  the 
criminal  justice  system,  victim  support  services,  perpetrator  programmes  and  social  and 
health  services.  Addressing  violence  against  women  and  ideologies  undermining  women’s 
rights  could  also  contribute  to  the  prevention  of  radicalisation  leading  to  violent  extremism 
and terrorism. The Commission  will launch an  EU network on the prevention  of gender-
based violence and domestic violence, bringing together Member States and stakeholders to 
exchange good practice, and will provide funding for training, capacity-building and support 
services.  Violence  prevention  focusing  on  men,  boys  and  masculinities20  will  be  of  central 
importance. 

To  address  violence  and  harassment  in  work  contexts,  the  Commission  will  continue  to 
encourage  Member  States  to  ratify  the  International  Labour  Organisation  (ILO) 

16  Figures  in  the  infographic  are  from  recent  studies  by  the  End  FGM  European  Network,  see: 
https://www.endfgm.eu/female-genital-mutilation/fgm-in-europe. 
17  Directive  2012/29/EU  establishing  minimum  standards  on  the  rights,  support  and  protection  of  victims  of 
crime. 
18 For instance, 34% of women with a health problem or disability have experienced physical or sexual partner 
violence, compared with 19% of women who do not have a health problem or disability. FRA, ‘Violence against 
women: an EU-wide survey’, 2014. 
19 To implement the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recommendations for the EU, in 
particular  concerning  Articles  6  (Women  with  disabilities)  and  16  (Freedom  from  exploitation,  violence  and 
abuse). 
20 According to EIGE,  ‘masculinities’ refers to the  “different notions of  what it  means to be a  man, including 
patterns  of  conduct 
in  a  given  set  of  gender  roles  and  relations”,  see: 
https://eige.europa.eu/thesaurus/terms/1285. 

to  men’s  place 

linked 

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Convention on combating violence and harassment in the world of work21, implement the 
existing  EU  rules22  on  protecting  workers  from  sexual  harassment,  and  raise  people’s 
awareness of them. As an employer, the Commission will adopt a new comprehensive legal 
framework  with  a  set  of  both  preventive  and  reactive  measures  against  harassment  in  the 
workplace. 

Online  violence  targeting  women  has  become  pervasive  with  specific,  vicious 
consequences; this is unacceptable. It is a barrier to women’s participation in public life. 
Bullying,  harassment  and  abuse  on  social  media  have  far-reaching  effects  on  women's  and 
girls’ daily lives.  The Commission  will  propose the  Digital Services  Act23  to  clarify online 
platforms’ responsibilities with regard to user-disseminated content. The Digital Services Act 
will clarify what measures are expected from platforms in addressing illegal activities online, 
while  protecting  fundamental  rights.  Users  also  need  to  be  able  to  counter  other  types  of 
harmful and abusive content, which is not always considered illegal but can have devastating 
effects. To protect women’s safety online, the Commission will facilitate the development of 
a new framework for cooperation between internet platforms24. 

Women and girls form the vast majority of victims of trafficking in human beings, both 
in and outside the EU, and are mostly trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation25. The 
EU  addresses  trafficking  in  human  beings  comprehensively  through  coordination  in  all 
relevant areas26. Countering impunity of users, exploiters and profit-makers is a priority. The 
concerns  of  women  and  girls  affected  by  trafficking  have  to  be  at  the  centre  of  policy 
development. As part of the Security Union, the Commission will present a new EU strategy 
on the eradication of trafficking in human beings and an EU strategy on a more effective 
fight against child sexual abuse. 

The  EU  needs  comprehensive,  updated  and  comparable  data  for  policies  on  combating 
gender-based  violence  to  be  effective.  To  get  a  complete  picture  of  gender-based  violence, 
data  should  be  disaggregated  by  relevant  intersectional  aspects  and  indicators  such  as  age, 
disability status, migrant status and rural-urban residence. An EU-wide survey, coordinated 
by Eurostat, will provide data on the prevalence and dynamics of violence against women and 
other forms of interpersonal violence, with results presented in 2023. 

Challenging gender stereotypes 

Gender stereotypes are a root cause of gender inequality and affect all areas of society27. 
Stereotypical  expectations  based  on  fixed  norms  for  women  and  men,  girls  and  boys,  limit 
their  aspirations,  choices  and  freedom,  and  therefore  need  to  be  dismantled.  Gender 
stereotypes  strongly  contribute  to  the  gender  pay  gap.  They  are  often  combined  with  other 

21 ILO, Violence and Harassment Convention (No. 190) and Recommendation (No. 206). 
22  Directive  2006/54/EC  on  the  implementation  of  the  principle  of  equal  opportunities  and  equal  treatment  of 
men and women in matters of employment and occupation (recast). 
23 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/new-eu-rules-e-commerce. 
24 Based on cooperation under the EU Internet Forum, which led to the adoption of the EU Code of Conduct on 
countering illegal hate speech online. 
25 Trafficking in human beings is recognised as violence against women and girls, in line with Article 6 of the 
UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). 
26 Emanating from the Anti-Trafficking Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human 
beings and protecting its victims. 
27 Special Eurobarometer 465, June 2017 – see infographics.  

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stereotypes such as those based on race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or 
sexual orientation, and this can reinforce stereotypes’ negative impacts. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an area of strategic importance and a key driver of 
economic  progress,  hence  women  have  to  be  part  of  its  development  as  researchers, 
programmers  and  users.  While  AI  can  bring  solutions  to  many  societal  challenges,  it  risks 
intensifying  gender inequalities. Algorithms  and related machine-learning, if not  transparent 
and  robust  enough,  risk  repeating,  amplifying  or  contributing  to  gender  biases  that 
programmers may not  be aware of or that  are the result of specific data  selection. The new 
Commission White Paper on AI sets out the European approach grounded in EU values and 
fundamental rights, including non-discrimination and gender equality28. The next framework 
programme  for  research  and  innovation,  Horizon  Europe29,  will  also  provide  insights  and 
solutions  on  addressing  potential  gender  biases  in  AI,  as  well  as  on  debunking  gender 
stereotypes  in  all  social,  economic  and  cultural  domains,  supporting  the  development  of 
unbiased evidence-based policies. 

The media and the cultural sectors have considerable say in shaping people’s beliefs, values 
and  perception  of  reality,  and  are  thus  further  key  channels  for  changing  attitudes  and 
challenging  stereotypes30.  The  Commission  will  continue  supporting  projects  promoting 
gender  equality  under  Creative  Europe31,  including  under  Music  Moves  Europe,  and  will 
present a gender equality strategy in the audio-visual industry as part of the next MEDIA 
sub-programme32, including financial support, structured dialogue, mentoring and training for 
women film-makers, producers and screenwriters. 

The  Commission  will  launch  an  EU-wide  communication  campaign  combatting  gender 
stereotypes.  It  will tackle all spheres of life with an intersectional  approach and a focus  on 
youth engagement, in collaboration with the Member States. 

28 European Commission, White paper on Artificial Intelligence - A European approach to excellence and trust, 
COM(2020)  65  final:  https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/commission-white-paper-artificial-intelligence-
feb2020_en.pdf. 
29 https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe-next-research-and-innovation-framework-programme_en. 
30  See,  for  example,  'Gender  equality  in  the  media  sector',  a  study  carried  out  for  the  FEMM  Committee  on 
women’s rights and gender equality, European Parliament, 2018.   
31 https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/node_en. 
32 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/media-sub-programme-creative-europe. 

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In addition to the Commission actions listed above, the Commission calls: 

-  on the Council to: 

  conclude  the  EU’s  accession  to  the  Istanbul  Convention  and  ensure  swift  EU 

ratification. 

-  on the Member States to:  

 

 
 

ratify and implement the Istanbul Convention;  
ratify and implement the ILO Convention to combat violence and harassment in the 
world of work; 
implement  the  Victims’  Rights  Directive,  the  Child  Sexual  Abuse  Directive33  and 
other relevant EU law protecting victims of gender-based violence34; 
  systematically collect and report data on gender-based violence; and  
  support  civil  society  and  public  services  in  preventing  and  combating  gender-based 
violence  and  gender  stereotyping,  including  with  the  help  of  EU  funding  available 
under the “citizens, equality, rights and values” programme (2021-2027). 

2.   Thriving in a gender-equal economy 

A  prosperous  and  social  Europe  depends  on  us  all.  Women  and  men  in  all  their  diversity 
should have equal opportunities to thrive and be economically independent, be paid equally 
for their work of equal value, have equal access to finance and receive fair pensions. Women 
and men should equally share caring and financial responsibilities.  

Closing gender gaps in the labour market  

Increasing women’s participation in the labour market has a strong, positive impact on 
the economy, notably in the context of a shrinking workforce and skills shortages. It also 
empowers  women  to  shape  their  own  lives,  play  a  role  in  public  life  and  be  economically 
independent. 

Women’s employment rate in the EU is higher today than ever before35, yet many women 
still  experience  barriers  to  joining  and  remaining  in  the  labour  market36.  Some  women  are 
structurally  underrepresented in  the labour market37, often resulting  from  the intersection of 
gender with additional conditions of vulnerability or marginalisation such as belonging to an 
ethnic or religious minority38 or having a migrant background.  

33  Directive  2011/93/EU  on  combating  the  sexual  abuse  and  sexual  exploitation  of  children  and  child 
pornography. 
34 In particular, Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting 
its victims, Directive 2011/99/EU on the European Protection Order, Regulation (EU) No. 606/2013 on mutual 
recognition of protection measures in civil matters and Council Directive 2004/80/EC relating to compensation 
to crime victims. 
35 
https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=lfsi_emp_a&lang=en – see infographic. 
36  https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/pdfscache/35409.pdf  and  also  FRA,  ‘Roma  Women  in  nine 
EU Member States’, 2019 – see infographic. 
37 Eurostat, ‘Labour Forced Survey’, calculations done based on lfsa_eegan2 – see infographic. 
38 See, for example, ENAR, ‘Racism and discrimination in Employment in Europe 2013-2017’, 2017.  

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-datasets/product?code=sdg_05_30 

Eurostat, 

2019, 

and 

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Improving the work-life balance of workers is one of the ways of addressing the gender gaps 
in  the  labour  market.  Both  parents  need  to  feel  responsible  and  entitled  when  it  comes  to 
family  care.  The  Work-Life-Balance  Directive39  introduces  minimum  standards  for  family 
leave  and flexible working  arrangements for workers, and promotes equal  sharing  of caring 
responsibilities  between  parents.  The  Commission  will  ensure  that  Member  States  correctly 
transpose40  and implement  this directive to  enable men and women to  equally thrive both 
personally and professionally, and calls upon the Member States to go beyond these minimum 
standards in reviewing their policies. They should also ensure quality solutions, for instance 
for childcare, that also  reach less populated areas in  Europe. Within  its own administration, 
the Commission will promote and monitor an equal use of flexible working arrangements by 
all employees41. 

Gender  equality  challenges  in  the  Member  States,  in  particular  their  labour  market,  social 
inclusion  and  education  dimensions,  will  continue  to  be  monitored  through  the  European 
Semester42.  Through  the  Social  Scoreboard,  the  European  Semester  also  monitors  these 
dimensions of the European Pillar of Social Rights43. As of the 2019-2020 Semester cycle, the 
Semester  country  reports  contribute  to  the  monitoring  of  the  SDGs,  including  on  gender 
equality (SDG 5), and the way in which economic and employment policies can help deliver 
on them.  

The  structural  reform  support  programme  can  support  Member  States  in  mainstreaming 
gender in public administration, state budgeting and financial management. In addition, it can 
contribute to national structural reforms in Member States to close the gender employment 
gap and to address the higher proportion of women in poverty, particularly in older age.   

Social and economic policies, taxation and social protection systems should not perpetuate 
structural  gender  inequalities  based  on  traditional  gender  roles  in  the  realms  of  work  and 

39 Directive (EU) 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers. 
40 The Work-Life Balance Directive shall be transposed by Member States by 2 August 2022 (and by 2 August 
2024 as regards payment of the last two weeks of the minimum of two months of parental leave). 
41  For  existing  measures,  see  European  Commission,  ‘Diversity  and  Gender  Equality  Report  2019’  (internal 
document). 
42 https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/economic-and-fiscal-policy-coordination/eu-economic-
governance-monitoring-prevention-correction/european-semester_en. 
43  Principle  2  of  the  Pillar  is  about  gender  equality,  while  several  other  principles  address  gender-related 
challenges,  including  the  principles  on  equal  opportunities  (principle  3),  work-life  balance  (principle  9), 
childcare and support to children (principle 11), old age income and pensions (principle 15) and long-term care 
(principle 18). 

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private life. The Commission will develop guidance for Member States on how national tax 
and benefits systems can impact financial incentives or disincentives for second earners.  

Empowering women in the labour market also means giving them the possibility to thrive as 
investors and entrepreneurs44. The EU cohesion policy supports women’s entrepreneurship, 
their (re)integration into the labour market and gender equality in specific, traditionally male, 
sectors.  Targeted  measures  promoting  the  participation  of  women  in  innovation  will  be 
developed  under  the  Horizon  Europe  European  Innovation  Council,  including  a  pilot  to 
promote  women-led  start-ups  and  innovative  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  in  202045. 
The  Commission  will  also  promote  the  presence  of  women  in  decision-making  positions  in 
private equity and venture capital  funds and support funds investing with gender diversified 
portfolios  through  the  InvestEU  programme  to  mobilise  private  and  public  investment  in 
Europe for more sustainable, inclusive and innovative growth.  

Achieving equal participation across different sectors of the economy  

While there are more women university graduates in Europe than men graduates, women 
remain  underrepresented  in  higher  paid  professions46.  More  women  than  men  work  in  low-
paid jobs and sectors, and in lower positions47. Discriminatory social norms and stereotypes 
about  women’s  and  men’s  skills,  and  the  undervaluation  of  women’s  work  are  some  of  the 
contributing factors. 

44  International  Finance  Corporation,  ‘Moving  toward  gender  balance  in  private  equity  and  venture  capital’, 
2019; Biegel, S., Hunt, S. M., Kuhlman, S., ‘Project Sage 2.0 Tracking venture capital with a gender lens’, 2019; 
and  Atomico,  ‘State  of  European  Tech  2019  Report’,  https://2019.stateofeuropeantech.com/chapter/state-
european-tech-2019/article/executive-summary – see infographics. 
45 https://ec.europa.eu/research/eic/index.cfm.  
46 PISA report 2019, 
http://www.oecd.org/pisa/PISA%202018%20Insights%20and%20Interpretations%20FINAL%20PDF.pdf; 
European Commission, ‘Women in the Digital Age – Final Report’, 2018; and World Economic Forum Global 
‘Gender Gap Report 2020’ – see infographics. 
47  Eurostat,  ‘A  decomposition  of  the  unadjusted  gender  pay  gap  using  Structure  of  Earnings  Survey  data’, 
Statistical working paper, 2018. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
The digital transition is of utmost importance in this context. With rapid transformation and 
digitisation  of  the  economy  and  the  labour  market,  today  90%  of  jobs  require  basic  digital 
skills48.  Women  only  represent  17%  of  people  in  ICT49  studies  and  careers  in  the  EU50  and 
only  36%  of  STEM51  graduates52,  despite  the  fact  that  girls  outperform  boys  in  digital 
literacy53.  This  gap  and  this  paradox  will  be  addressed  in  the  updated  Digital  Education 
Action Plan and through the implementation of the Ministerial declaration of commitment 
on  ‘Women  in  Digital’54.  The  ‘Women  in  Digital’  scoreboard  will  be  used  more 
systematically.  

The  Updated  Skills  Agenda  for  Europe  will  help  address  horizontal  segregation, 
stereotyping  and  gender  gaps  in  education  and  training.  The  Commission  proposal  for  a 
Council  recommendation  on  vocational  education  and  training  will  support  improving 
gender  balance  in  traditionally  male  or  female-dominated  professions  and  address  gender 
stereotypes. The reinforced Youth Guarantee will also specifically address women that are 
not in education, employment or training to ensure equal opportunities.  

In  the  Commission’s  forthcoming  communication  on  the  European  Education  Area, 
gender  equality  will  be  put  forward  as  one  of  the  key  elements.  The  renewed  strategic 
framework  for  gender  equality  in  sport  will  promote  women’s  and  girls’  participation  in 
sport  and  physical  activity  and  gender  balance  in  leadership  positions  within  sport 
organisations. 

Addressing the gender pay and pension gap 

The principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value has been enshrined in 
the Treaties since 1957 and translated into EU law. It ensures that there are legal remedies 
in  case  of  discrimination.  Yet,  women  still  earn  on  average  less  than  men55.  Accumulated 
lifetime  gender  employment  and  pay  gaps  result  in  an  even  wider  pension  gap  and 
consequently older women are more at risk of poverty than men.   

Eliminating  the  gender  pay  gap  requires  addressing  all  of  its  root  causes,  including 
women’s lower participation in the labour market, invisible and unpaid work, their higher use 

48 European Commission, ‘ICT for Work: Digital Skills in the Workplace’, 2017.  
49 Information and Communications Technology. 
50 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/EDN-20180425-1. 
51 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. 
52 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/9540ffa1-4478-11e9-a8ed-01aa75ed71a1/language-en. 
53 2018 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS). 
54 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/eu-countries-commit-boost-participation-women-digital. 
55 Eurostat, 2018 at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/product/view/SDG_05_20?lang=en; 
https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=ilc_pnp13&lang=en and 
https://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=ilc_pnp14&lang=en – see infographics. 

10 

 
 
 
                                                           
of part-time work56 and career breaks, as well as vertical and horizontal segregation based on 
gender stereotypes and discrimination.  

When information about pay levels is available it is easier to detect gaps and discrimination. 
Because of a lack of transparency, many women do not know or cannot  prove that they are 
being underpaid. The Commission will table binding measures on pay transparency by the 
end of 2020. 

Such an initiative will strengthen the rights of employees to get more information about pay 
levels, while it may add an administrative burden for employers. To find the right balance for 
such EU action, it is of utmost importance to consult and listen to social partners and national 
administrations. The Commission undertook a thorough evaluation of the existing framework 
on  equal  pay  for  equal  work  or  work  of  equal  value57.  Together  with  the  adoption  of  this 
strategy, the Commission is launching a wide-ranging and inclusive consultation process58 
with  the  public,  the  Member  States  and  the  social  partners.  More  broadly,  the  Commission 
will re-launch the discussion with the social partners on how to improve gender equality in 
the world of work, including within their structures, and encourage them to intensify efforts in 
addressing the gender employment and pay gaps. 

Reduced earnings, higher concentration in part-time work and career gaps linked to women’s 
caring responsibilities contribute substantially to the gender pension gap. In the 2021 edition 
of  the  Pension  Adequacy  Report,  the  Commission,  together  with  the  Council’s  Social 
Protection  Committee,  will  assess  how  risks  and  resources  are  shared  in  pension  systems 
between  women  and  men.  To  protect  pension  rights  and  encourage  equal  sharing  of  care 
responsibilities between women and men, the Commission will explore with Member States 
and  stakeholders  the  provision  of  pension  credits  for  care-related  career  breaks  in 
occupational pension schemes, as recommended by the High-level group on pensions59. 

Closing the gender care gap 

Thriving  at  work  while  managing  caring  responsibilities  at  home  is  a  challenge, 
especially for women. Women often align their decision to work, and how to work, with their 
caring responsibilities and with whether and how these duties are shared with a partner. This 
is a particular challenge for single parents, most of whom are women60, and for people living 
in  remote  rural  areas  for  whom  support  solutions  are  often  lacking.  Women  also  carry  a 
disproportionate  burden  of  unpaid  work,  which  constitutes  a  significant  share  of  economic 
activity61.  

56 One of the reasons is the fact that on average women spend fewer hours in paid work than men: whereas only 
8% of men in the EU work in part-time, almost a third of women across the EU (31%) does so  - see Eurostat, 
2018, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/DDN-20190621-1. 
57 Evaluation of the relevant provision in Directive 2006/54/EC implementing the Treaty principle on ‘equal pay 
for  equal  work  or  work  of  equal  value’,  SWD(2020)50;  Report  on  the  implementation  of  the  EU  Action  Plan 
2017-2019 on tackling the gender pay gap, COM(2020)101. 
58 To be launched together with this strategy. 
59 Final report of the High-level group of experts on pensions, December 2019, 
https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/index.cfm?do=groupDetail.groupDetail&groupID=3589. 
60  Maldonado,  L.  C.,  &  Nieuwenhuis,  R.,  ‘Family  policies  and  single  parent  poverty  in  18  OECD  countries, 
1978–2008’. Community, Work & Family, 18(4): 395–415. 
61 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---cabinet/documents/publication/wcms_713376.pdf.  

11 

 
 
                                                           
An  equal  sharing  of  care  responsibilities  at  home  is  crucial,  as  is  the  availability  of 
childcare, social care and household services, in particular for single parents62. Insufficient 
access  to  quality  and  affordable  formal  care  services  is  one  of  the  key  drivers  of  gender 
inequality in the labour market63. Investing in care services is therefore important to support 
women’s participation in paid work and their professional development. It also has potential 
for job creation for both women and men. 

The  Barcelona  targets64  for  the  provision  of  early  childhood  education  and  care 
arrangements  for  children  are  mostly  met,  but  some  Member  States  are  significantly 
lagging  behind.  The  Commission  will  therefore  propose  to  revise  the  Barcelona  targets  to 
ensure further upwards convergence among Member States of early childhood education and 
care. Moreover, the Commission’s proposal for a Child Guarantee in 2021 will focus on the 
most  significant  barriers  preventing  children  from  accessing  the  necessary  services  for  their 
wellbeing  and  personal  development,  in  order  to  break  the  poverty  cycle  and  reduce 
inequalities. 

The  Commission  will  continue  supporting  Member  States’  work  on  improving  the 
availability  and  affordability  of  quality  care  services  for  children  and  other  dependents 
through  investments  from  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus,  the  European  Regional 
Development Fund, the InvestEU programme and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural 
Development. 

At the end of 2020, the Commission will launch the consultation process for a Green Paper 
on Ageing with a focus on long-term care, pensions and active ageing. 

In  addition  to  the  Commission  actions  listed  above,  the  Commission  calls  on  Member 
States to: 
 

transpose  the  Work-Life  Balance  Directive  and  properly  implement  EU  gender 
equality and labour law65; 
follow  up  on  the  Council  conclusions  of  June  2019  “Closing  the  Gender  Pay  Gap: 
Key Policies and Measures”; 

 

  ensure  adequate  investments  in  early  childhood  education,  care  services  and  long-

term care services including from available EU funding; and  
implement the Ministerial declaration of commitment on “Women in Digital”. 

 

62 Eurofound, ‘Striking a balance: Reconciling work and life in the EU’, 2018 – see infographics. 
63 Hoffmann, F., & Rodrigues, R., ‘Informal carers: who takes care of them?’, Policy brief, April 2010, European 
Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna – see infographics. 
64 https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/bcn_objectives-report2018_web_en.pdf. 
65 This includes the recast Directive on gender equality in employment and occupation, the Directives on gender 
equality in self-employment, in access to goods and services, in social security, in pregnancy and maternity, the 
Directive  on  part-time  work,  the  Directive  on  transparent  and  predictable  working  conditions,  the 
Recommendation on access to social protection, and the Recommendation on equality bodies. 

12 

 
 
 
 
                                                           
3.   Leading equally throughout society 

Companies,  communities  and  countries  should  be  led  by  both  women  and  men,  in  all  their 
diversity. Whether you are a woman or a man should not influence the career you pursue.  

Achieving gender balance in decision-making and politics 

There  are  still  far  too  few  women  in  leading  positions.  Be  it  in  politics  or  government 
agencies, at the highest courts or on companies’ boards. This is the case even if gender parity 
exists  at  the  lower  levels.  If  top  positions  are  held  exclusively  by  men  for  a  long  time,  this 
shapes the recruitment pattern for successors, sometimes only due to unconscious bias. 

Having both women and men represented is crucial for successful leadership. Inclusive and 
diverse  leadership  is  needed  to  solve  the  complex  challenges  that  decision-makers  face 
today.  More  inclusion  and  more  diversity  is  essential  to  bring  forward  new  ideas  and 
innovative  approaches  that  better  serve  a  dynamic  and  flourishing  EU  society.  Allowing 
citizens  from  all  backgrounds  to  meaningfully  participate  in  society  is  a  necessary  pre-
condition for a well-functioning democracy and leads to more effective policy-making66. 

A broad range of talents and skills contributes to better decision-making and corporate 
governance,  and  drives  economic  growth.67  Despite  some  progress  in  recent  years, 
women’s  under-representation  in  decision-making  positions  in  Europe's  businesses  and 
industry persists.68  

To  help  break  the  glass  ceiling,  the  Commission  will  push  for  the  adoption  of  the  2012 
proposal for a Directive on improving the gender balance on corporate boards69 which set 
the  aim  of  a  minimum  of  40%  of  non-executive  members  of  the  under-represented  sex  on 
company boards70. 

In parallel, the Commission will facilitate the exchange of good practices addressing gender 
balance in executive boards and managerial positions, bringing in the examples of national or 
regional projects run by governments, civil society or the private sector. The EU Platform of 

66 EIGE Gender Statistics Database, National parliaments: Single/lower house, 2019 – see infographic. 
67  ILO,  ‘The  business  case  for  change’,  2019;  McKinsey,  ‘Women  Matter  report’,  2017;  Catalyst,  ‘Why 
Diversity and  Inclusion  Matter’, 2018;  Rohini  Anand,  ‘Gender-Balanced  Teams  Linked  to  Better  Business 
Performance: A Sodexo Study’, 2016. 
68 EIGE, Gender Statistics Database, Women and men in decision-making, 2019 – see infographic. 
69 COM(2012)614 final. 
70  Positive  results  are  shown  in  several  countries  that  have  introduced  relevant  legislative  measures,  including 
See 
and  more 
France, 
https://eige.europa.eu/publications/gender-equality-index-2019-report/more-gender-equality-corporate-boards-
only-few-member-states. 

Belgium,  Germany, 

recently  Austria 

Portugal. 

Italy, 

and 

13 

 
 
 
                                                           
Diversity Charters71 will serve as a platform for exchange. The Commission will continue to 
cooperate with EU-wide projects, such as the European Gender Diversity Index72.  

Equal opportunity in participation is essential for representative democracy at all levels 
– European, national, regional and local. The Commission will promote the participation of 
women  as  voters  and  candidates  in  the  2024  European  Parliament  elections,  in 
collaboration  with  the  European  Parliament,  national  parliaments,  Member  States  and  civil 
society,  including  through  funding  and  promoting  best  practices.  European  political  parties 
asking  for  EU  funding  are  encouraged  to  be  transparent  about  the  gender  balance  of  their 
political party members73.  

EU  institutions  and  bodies  should  not  be  exempt  from  ensuring  gender  balance  in 
leadership  positions.  The  Commission  will  lead  by  example.  Thanks  to  the  strong  call  of 
President von der Leyen to achieve gender parity in the College of Commissioners, it has 
the highest number to date of women Commissioners. The Commission aims to reach gender 
balance of 50% at all levels of its management by the end of 202474. Supporting measures 
will  include  quantitative  targets  for  female  appointments  and  leadership  development 
programmes75. The Commission will also increase efforts towards reaching a larger share of 
female  managers  in EU agencies76, and will ensure gender balanced representation  among 
speakers and panellists in the conferences it organises.  

The Commission will support Member States in developing and implementing more effective 
strategies  to  increase  the  number  of  women  in  decision-making  positions  including 
through  the  Mutual  Learning  Programme  in  Gender  Equality77.  The  Commission  will  also 
disseminate  data  and  analysis  of  trends  on  the  representation  of  women  and  men  in 
decision-making  positions  in  cooperation  with  the  European  Institute  for  Gender  Equality 
(EIGE). 

71 https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/combatting-discrimination/tackling-
discrimination/diversity-management/eu-platform-diversity-charters_en. 
72 Relevant projects include European Women on Boards: https://europeanwomenonboards.eu/. 
73  Regulation  2018/673  amending  Regulation  (EU,  Euratom)  No  1141/2014  on  the  statute  and  funding  of 
European political parties and European political foundations, recital 6. 
74  In  2019, 41%  of  managers  in  the  Commission  were  women  (up  from  30%  in  2014). This  included  37%  of 
senior managers (up from 27%) and 42% of middle managers (up from 31%). 
75  For  existing  measures:  European  Commission,  ‘Diversity  and  Gender  Equality  Report  2019’,  Brussels,  6 
November 2019. 
76 More than 3 out of 4 EU agencies are currently headed by men. 
77 https://ec.europa.eu/info/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/gender-equality/who-we-work-gender-
equality/mutual-learning-programme-gender-equality_en. 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
In addition to the Commission actions listed above, the Commission calls:  

-  on the European Parliament and the Council to:  

  adopt  the  proposal  for  a  Directive  on  improving  the  gender  balance  on  corporate 

boards; and 

  adopt  measures to  improve  gender balance  at  all  levels  of their management  and in 

leadership positions. 

-  on the Member States to: 

 

transpose and implement the Directive on improving the gender balance on corporate 
boards, once adopted; and  

  develop  and  implement  strategies  to  increase  the  number  of  women  in  decision-

making positions in politics and policy-making. 

4.   Gender  mainstreaming  and  an  intersectional  perspective  in  EU 

policies 

The core challenges affecting the EU today – including the green and digital transitions 
and  demographic  change  –  all  have  a  gender  dimension.  The  inclusion  of  a  gender 
perspective in all EU policies and processes is essential to reach the goal of gender equality. 

Gender mainstreaming ensures that policies and programmes maximise the potential of all  – 
women  and  men,  girls  and  boys,  in  all  their  diversity.  The  aim  is  to  redistribute  power, 
influence  and  resources  in  a  fair  and  gender-equal  way,  tackling  inequality,  promoting 
fairness, and creating opportunity.  

The Commission will integrate a gender perspective in all major Commission initiatives 
during  the  current  mandate,  facilitated  by  the  appointment  of  the  first  Commissioner  for 
Equality, as a stand-alone portfolio, and by creating a Task Force for Equality78 composed 
of representatives of all Commission services and of the European External  Action Service. 
The Task Force will ensure the implementation of equality mainstreaming, including gender 
equality, at operational and technical level. 

As  an  example,  upcoming  policies  under  the  European  Green  Deal,  such  as  the  Building 
Renovation  Wave  or  the  EU  Strategy  on  Climate  Adaptation,  can  impact  women 
differently to men79. As regards climate change, the role of  young women in particular has 
been remarkable in leading the push for change. Women and men are not equally affected by 
green  policies  tackling  climate  change  (there  are  less  possibilities  for  women  as  climate 
refugees),  or  the  clean  transition  (there  are  more  women  in  energy  poverty),  emission-free 
transport (more women use public transport). Addressing the gender dimension can therefore 
have a key role in leveraging the full potential of these policies. 

Another example is that of digitisation, which will fundamentally change our lives and that 
of our  children.  In this transition,  it is  crucial that  women help  to  build  that future and that 

78 The Task Force will facilitate the mainstreaming of equality relating to six grounds of discrimination: sex, race 
or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation. 
79 In both cases, specific attention towards elderly people (in terms of  future-proof renovations or, for climate 
adaptation policies, measures during heat waves to improve hydration) will, for example, have a positive impact 
on women in particular as they form the majority of the elderly population. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
many more girls than currently acquire IT skills to be able to play a role in shaping the digital 
world of tomorrow. 

In health, women and men experience gender-specific health risks. A gender dimension will 
be integrated into the EU Beating Cancer Plan to be launched in 2020. Regular exchanges of 
good practices between Member States and stakeholders on the gender aspects of health will 
be facilitated, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights.  

The EU Drugs Agenda 2021-2025 will be adopted in 2020, and will address gender-specific 
challenges faced by women and girls in substance abuse.  

The  intersectionality  of  gender  with  other  grounds  of  discrimination  will  be  addressed 
across  EU  policies.  Women  are  a  heterogeneous  group  and  may  face  intersectional 
discrimination based on several personal characteristics. For instance, a migrant woman with 
a  disability  may  face  discrimination  on  three  or  more  grounds.  EU  law,  policies  and  their 
implementation  should therefore respond to  the specific needs and circumstances of women 
and girls in different groups. The forthcoming Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion and 
the EU strategic frameworks on disability, LGBTI+, Roma inclusion and children’s rights will 
be  linked  to  this  strategy  and  to  each  other.  Moreover,  the  intersectional  perspective  will 
always inform gender equality policies. 

5.  

Funding actions to make progress in gender equality in the EU 

The  Commission’s  proposals  for  the  Multi-Annual  Financial  Framework  (MFF)  ensure  the 
integration of a gender dimension throughout the financial framework, and more specifically 
in  various  EU  funding  and  budgetary  guarantee  instruments,  in  particular  the  European 
Social  Fund  Plus,  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund,  Creative  Europe,  the 
European  Maritime  and  Fisheries  Fund,  the  Cohesion  Fund  and  the  InvestEU 
Programme.  Funding  will  support  actions  to  promote  women’s  labour  market  participation 
and  work-life  balance,  invest  in  care  facilities,  support  female  entrepreneurship,  combat 
gender segregation in  certain  professions and  address  the imbalanced representation  of  girls 
and boys in some sectors of education and training. 

The  proposed  Common  Provisions  Regulation80  includes  specific  “enabling  conditions”, 
requiring a Member State to have in place a national gender equality strategic framework 
as a precondition to make use of the funds when investing in improving gender balance in the 
labour  market,  work-life  balance  or  childcare  infrastructure.  Another  horizontal  ‘enabling 
condition’  on  effective  implementation  of  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  includes 
gender  equality  as  one  of  its  key  principles  and  applies  to  all  the  investments  under  this 
regulation. 

Dedicated  funding  for  projects  benefiting  civil  society  organisations  and  public  institutions 
that implement  specific actions, including preventing and combating  gender-based violence, 
will be available through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme. Particular 
attention needs to be paid to women and girls in the asylum and migration area. Through the 
Asylum  and  Migration  Fund,  the  Commission  will  encourage  Member  States  to  target 
actions that support the specific needs of women in the asylum procedure, as well as actions 
that support the integration of women in the new society. Furthermore, the fund will enable 

80 COM/2018/375 final. 

16 

 
 
                                                           
the stepping up of protection of vulnerable groups, including women victims of gender-based 
violence in asylum and migration contexts. 

In  the  field  of  research  and  innovation,  the  Commission  will  introduce  new  measures  to 
strengthen  gender  equality  in  Horizon  Europe,  such  as  the  possibility  to  require  a  gender 
equality  plan  from  applicants  and  an  initiative  to  increase  the  number  of  women-led 
technology  start-ups.  Funding  for  gender  and  intersectional  research  will  also  be  made 
available.  

There  will  also  be  funding  opportunities  to  increase  women’s  entrepreneurship  knowledge 
and  participation  in  decision-making  and  to  invest  in  basic  services’  development  in  rural 
areas  under  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy.  In  view  of  empowering  women,  a  new  call 
dedicated  to  women  in  the  “blue  economy”81  is  planned  as  part  of  the  next  European 
Maritime and Fisheries Fund for 2021-2027. 

An  Inclusion  and  Diversity  Strategy  for  the  future  Erasmus+  programme  will  provide 
guidance  on  how  the  programme  can  help  address  gender  inequalities  in  all  education  and 
training, youth and sport sectors. 

The  Commission’s  guidance  on  socially  responsible  public  procurement  will  fight 
discrimination and promote gender equality in public tenders. 

In  line  with  repeated  calls  by  several  Member  States  and  the  European  Parliament82,  the 
Commission  will  look  at  the  gender  impact  of  its  activities  and  at  how  to  measure 
expenditure  related  to  gender  equality  at  programme  level  in  the  2021-2027  MFF.  The 
outcome  of  the  recently  launched  audit  by  the  European  Court  of  Auditors  on  gender 
mainstreaming  in  the  EU  budget  to  promote equality  will  contribute  to  this  process.  This 
will  improve  gender  mainstreaming  in  the  Commission’s  budget  process,  further  increasing 
the contribution made by policy design and resource allocation to gender equality objectives. 

6. 

Addressing  gender  equality  and  women’s  empowerment  across  the 
world 

Gender inequality is a global problem. Gender equality and women’s empowerment is a 
core  objective  of  EU  external  action.  It  is  important  that  the  EU’s  internal  and  external 
actions in this field are coherent and mutually reinforce each other. The EU promotes gender 
equality  and  women’s  empowerment  in  its  international  partnerships,  political  and  human 
rights dialogues with third countries, EU trade policy as well as in the EU’s neighbourhood 
and  enlargement  policies,  including  in  the  context  of  accession  negotiations  and  the 
Stabilisation  and  Association  Process.  Moreover,  gender-related  actions  are  included  in  the 
EU’s actions in fragile, conflict and emergency situations. 

The  action  plan  on  gender  equality  and  women’s  empowerment  in  external  relations 
(2016-2020)  (GAPII)83  focuses  on  ending  violence  against  women  and  girls,  promoting 
women’s  economic  and  social  empowerment  and  ensuring  the  fulfilment  of  their  human, 

81 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/news/how-big-eus-blue-economy-eu-report-potential-coasts-and-oceans-provide-
sustainable-economic-growth. 
82 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2014_2019/plmrep/COMMITTEES/FEMM/DV/2018/09-
03/20180828DraftResolutionGenderBudgetingintheEUBudget-thewayforward_EN.pdf. 
83 https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/articles/eu-gender-action-plan-ii-how-eu-delegations-contribute-gender-
equality-worldwide. 

17 

 
 
                                                           
political and civil rights. Building on the achievements and lessons learned, GAP III will be 
launched in 2020, with a comprehensive approach, and will be coherent with the priorities of 
this strategy through integrating all its relevant elements into the EU’s external action. 

The  EU  will  continue  supporting  women’s  human  rights,  its  defenders,  sexual  and 
reproductive  health  and  rights,  and  efforts  to  curb  sexual  and  gender-based  violence 
throughout the world, including in fragile, conflict and emergency situations. The EU initiated 
the Spotlight Initiative, a joint EU-UN global programme with an overall EU allocation of 
EUR  500  million  to  eliminate  all  forms  of  violence  against  women  and  girls.  The  EU  is 
launching a campaign #WithHer in 2020, designed to challenge harmful gender norms and 
stereotypes, which perpetuate violence against women worldwide. The EU will adopt the EU 
Action  Plan  on  Human  Rights  and  Democracy  (2020-2024)  in  2020.  The  EU  will  also 
continue to implement the EU Strategic Approach and Action Plan on Women, Peace and 
Security 2019-202484.  

The Commission will continue to actively promote gender equality through its trade policy, 
including through its active engagement on the issue in the World Trade Organisation. It will 
continue  to  gather  gender-disaggregated  data,  to  ensure  that  trade-related  aspects  of  gender 
are  adequately  addressed  in  trade  agreements  and  to  consider  gender  impact  in  trade 
initiatives.  

In  partner  countries,  the  EU  will  make  use  of  the  External  Investment  Plan  to  promote 
women’s  entrepreneurship  and  labour  market  participation.  For  instance,  the  Women’s 
Financial  Inclusion Facility  alone aims to  leverage EUR 100 million  for women’s access  to 
finance.  The  EU  Strategy  with  Africa  in  2020  will  also  focus  on  gender  equality  and 
women’s empowerment. 

In  the  EU’s  external  policies,  gender  mainstreaming  is  used  in  the  budget  process 
through  the  commitment  of  ensuring  that  85%  of  all  new  programmes  contribute  to  gender 
equality and women’s empowerment85. 

on  WPS 

84 The EU Strategic Approach to Women, Peace and Security (WPS) is annexed to the Foreign Affairs Council 
15086/18), 
10  December 
adopted 
Conclusions 
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/37412/st15086-en18.pdf,  
and  the  EU  Action  Plan  on  Women,  Peace  and  Security  (WPS)  2019-2024, of  4  July  2019  EEAS(2019)  747, 
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/register/en/content/out?&typ=ENTRY&i=ADV&DOC_ID=ST-11031-2019-
INIT. 
85  The  measurement  is  done  according  to  the  OECD  Gender  Equality  Policy  Marker.  Specifically  for 
humanitarian aid, the Commission applies its own humanitarian Gender-Age marker. 

document 

(Council 

2018, 

on 

18 

 
 
 
 
                                                           
WORKING TOGETHER FOR A GENDER-EQUAL EUROPE 

Achieving  gender  equality  in  the  European  Union  is  a  joint  responsibility.  It  requires 
teaming up and action by all EU institutions, Member States and EU agencies, in partnership 
with civil society and women’s organisations, social partners and the private sector.  

The  European  Parliament86  and  the  Council87  have  shown  their  commitment  to  gender 
equality  in  several  resolutions  and  conclusions  calling  on  the  Commission  to  adopt  a 
European Gender Equality Strategy and strengthen gender mainstreaming in all policy areas.  

Working  together,  the  EU  institutions  and  Member  States  need  to  deepen  their  engagement 
with  civil  society, 
international 
organisations,  and  governments,  to  progress  on  gender  equality  and  continue  being  global 
leaders. 

including  women’s  movements  and  organisations, 

The Commission calls on the European Parliament and the Council to take forward their work 
on  the  existing  and  forthcoming  Commission  proposals  in  a  timely  manner.  Member  States 
should use all the tools at their disposal, in particular the possibilities offered for EU financial 
support and ensure the improvement in gender equality.  

The key actions presented in this strategy will be regularly updated and supplemented. Their 
implementation  will  be  monitored,  and  progress  will  be  reported  on  an  annual  basis.  These 
reports  will  serve  as  an  annual  political  stock-taking  of  progress  made.  In  addition  to 
examples of good practice in the Member States, the annual reports will also include relevant 
data,  including  from  Eurostat  and  Eurofound,  as  well  as  indicators  for  measuring  progress, 
building  on  EIGE’s  annual  EU  Gender  Equality  Index.  EIGE  will  also  provide  data  and 
research to feed into the evidence-based policy-making of EU institutions and Member States. 

Working  together,  we  can  make  real  progress  by  2025  in  achieving  a  Europe  where 
women and men, girls and boys, in all their diversity, are equal – where they are free to 
pursue  their  chosen  path  in  life  and  reach  their  full  potential,  where  they  have  equal 
opportunities  to  thrive,  and  where  they  can  equally  participate  in  and  lead  our 
European society. 

86  Recent  resolutions  of  the  European  Parliament  on  gender  equality  include:  European  Parliament  resolution 
2019/2870(RSP) of 30 January 2020 on the gender pay gap; European Parliament resolution 2019/2855(RSP) of 
28  November  2019  on  the  EU’s  accession  to  the  Istanbul  Convention  and  other  measures  to  combat  gender-
based violence; European Parliament resolution 2016/2249(INI) of 14 March 2017 on equality between women 
and men in the European Union in 2014-2015.  
87 Recent Council Conclusions on gender equality include: Council Conclusions of 10 December 2019 on gender 
equal  economies  in  the  EU:  The  way  forward  –  taking  stock  of  25  years  of  implementation  of  the  Beijing 
Platform  for  Action;  Council  Conclusions  of  24  October  2019  on  The  Economy  of  Wellbeing;  Council 
Conclusions of 13 June 2019 on Closing the Gender Pay Gap: Key Policies and Measures.  

19