COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030
Date: 2026-03-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: EU strategy, education, equal pay, female work, gender equality, gender-based violence, health policy, position of women, women's rights, work-life balance

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 5.3.2026  COM(2026) 113 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030 {SWD(2026) 82 final}  
 
 
1.  Introduction  

Gender equality is a core value of the EU and an aspiration uniting European institutions, 
governments and the public1. The EU has made significant strides towards achieving a Union 
of Equality and is a global champion of women’s rights. Europeans enjoy some of the most 
advanced legislation worldwide to protect their rights and combat gender-based violence.  

Gender equality is indispensable for  achieving the EU’s strategic goals, from upholding 
democracy  and  the  rule  of  law  to  fostering  social  cohesion  and  bolstering  security  and 
competitiveness. Equal rights and opportunities for women and men, in all their diversity, are 
instrumental  in  sustaining  Europe’s  vibrant  democracy,  strengthening  representativeness, 
institutional  legitimacy,  and  democratic  decision-making.  Inequality  wastes  talent,  blocks 
careers, and reduces productivity. Improving gender equality in the EU could lead to a 9.6% 
increase in GDP per capita and an additional 10.5 million jobs by 20502.  

An  escalating  backlash  against  gender  equality  threatens  hard-won  progress,  while  the 
ambition  of  a  gender-equal  Europe  is  not  yet  achieved3.  In  this  context,  the  Commission 
reaffirmed its strong commitment to promoting gender equality in the Roadmap for Women’s 
Rights, adopted in March 2025. All 27 Member States, EU institutions, and numerous civil 
society and international organisations endorsed the objectives of the Roadmap.  

This Gender Equality Strategy builds on the achievements of its predecessor4 and translates the 
long-term vision of the Roadmap for Women’s Rights into action. It will ensure that the EU 
contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality by 2030, the 
renewed  objectives  of  the  Beijing  Platform  for  Action,  and  the  obligations  under  the 
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women. To do so, 
this Strategy proposes concrete actions for each of the eight principles of the Roadmap for 
Women’s Rights, keeping gender equality at the heart of the EU’s action both within the EU 
and across the world.5 The Strategy  follows a  dual  approach,  combining targeted actions 
with systematic gender mainstreaming across all policy areas. 

Gender equality benefits everyone: it is about  harnessing the full potential of women and 
men,  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  society.  This  Strategy  aims  to  achieve  equality  between 
women and men, girls and boys, in all their diversity. It recognises the crucial role of men and 
boys, as agents and beneficiaries of gender equality6. It adopts an intersectional approach to 
gender  equality,  acknowledging  that  sex  and  gender  intersect  with  other  grounds  of 
discrimination, leading to specific inequalities and unique experiences of discrimination7. 

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  European Institute for Gender Equality's study on the economic impact of gender equality in the EU. 
3  European Institute for Gender Equality’s Gender Equality Index 2025. 
4 The 2020-2025 Gender Equality Strategy: Gender equality strategy - European Commission. 
5 In line with the objective of gradual integration, candidate countries and potential candidates for EU accession will be integrated into relevant 
actions and associated similarly to Member States in the Strategy. 
6 Three out of four Europeans agree that men also benefit from gender equality: Gender stereotypes - December 2024 - Eurobarometer survey. 
7 The Strategy pays particular attention to women from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, migrant women, women with disabilities, 
women from lower socio-economic backgrounds, young and older women, and LBTIQ+ women. 

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This Strategy will be implemented alongside other Union of Equality Strategies to create the 
conditions for everyone to freely choose their path in life, thrive and lead, regardless of their 
gender,  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  religion  or  belief,  disability,  age  or  sexual  orientation8. This 
Strategy benefited from an inclusive consultation process, bringing together citizens, Member 
States, European institutions, social partners, equality bodies, as well as international and civil 
society  organisations9.  Both  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  called  on  the 
Commission to present a Gender Equality Strategy for 2026–203010. 

2.  Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Rights  

Roadmap Principle 1: Freedom from gender-based violence - the right to security and dignity 

Gender-based violence is not only a violation of fundamental rights but also a serious threat 
to EU common security, as it undermines the safety, dignity and equality of individuals and 
communities. One in three women in  the EU have suffered  gender-based violence in  their 
lifetime.  Domestic  violence  is  a  prevalent  form  of  gender-based  violence,  with  one  in  five 
women in the EU having experienced physical or sexual violence from their partner or ex-
partner, a relative or another member of their household. Too often, domestic violence leads to 
the  most  extreme  form  of  violence  against  women:  femicide,  which  claims  the  lives  of  18 
women  per  week  in  the  EU11.  Many  children  also  suffer  from  gender-based  and  domestic 
violence, as direct victims or as witnesses. Addressing attitudes and behaviours is key to 
preventing gender-based violence, and engaging men and boys is crucial. 

Gender-based cyberviolence presents a quickly escalating threat to women and girls, with the 
rapid spread of non-consensual intimate images across the internet, difficulties in having such 
illegal content removed, and hateful and violent threats online. Some studies show that 98% of 
all  deepfakes  on  the  internet  are  of  a  pornographic  nature,  and  that  99%  of  these  depict 
women12. This undermines women’s integrity and forces many out of the online environment, 
from  online  debates  and  the  digital  economy,  thereby  threatening  democracy  and  EU 
competitiveness. The Commission will pay specific attention to the role of artificial intelligence 
in the production and dissemination of sexually explicit harmful deepfakes and deepnudes.  

The  Directive  on  Combating  Violence  against  Women  and  Domestic  Violence  (VAW 
Directive) is the EU’s main tool to fight gender-based violence. The Directive provides a strong 
legal framework that prevents violence and protects victims across the EU. It criminalises the 
offences of female genital mutilation, forced marriage and several forms of gender-based cyber 
violence.13 The  Commission  will  continue  to  support  the  Member  States  in  the  Directive’s 

8 See LGBTIQ+ equality Strategy, Anti-Racism Strategy, Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities, EU Roma strategic framework. 
9  Public Consultation and Call for Evidence on the Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030.  
10  European Parliament resolution of 13 November 2025 on the Gender Equality Strategy 2025  (2024/2125(INI)); Council Conclusions on 
Economic empowerment and financial  independence of women as a pathway to substantive gender equality (8957/24).  
11 See Intentional homicide victims by victim-offender relationship and sex [crim_hom_vrel].  
12 See report by Security Hero from 2023.  
13 Non-consensual sharing of intimate or manipulated material, cyber stalking, cyber harassment and cyber incitement to violence or hatred. 
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transposition as swiftly as possible (deadline: 14 June 2027) and the effective implementation 
thereafter,  including  by  organising  implementation  workshops  and  bilateral  exchanges. 
Particular attention will be given to the provisions on cyberviolence offences, the removal of 
illegal  content,  accessible  online  reporting  channels  and  specialist  services  for  victims  of 
cybercrimes. 

The Commission will support national reforms putting in place definitions of rape based on the 
concept of consent. Building on its 2022 proposal for a VAW Directive, which included an EU-
wide definition of rape, the Commission will update its mapping of the legal landscape in 
the  EU  in  view  of  identifying  further  action,  including  legislative,  to  ensure  that  sex 
without consent is defined as rape across the EU. The Commission will also support Member 
States in implementing Article 35 of the VAW Directive, which requires them to make available 
and distribute educational material promoting the understanding that consent must be given 
voluntarily as a result of a person’s free will, mutual respect, and the right to sexual integrity 
and bodily autonomy, including through providing guidance as necessary.  

The Commission will also support Member States in developing their national action plans 
for preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence14, due by 
June 2029. The implementation of the VAW Directive and the national plans will be sustained 
through the sharing of best practices between Member States, including through the Mutual 
Learning Programme in Gender Equality and the Network for the Prevention of Gender-
Based and Domestic Violence.  

Moreover, the Victims’ Rights Directive15 ensures that victims of gender-based violence will 
benefit  from  better  access  to  integrated  support  services  and  legal  aid,  facilitated  crime 
reporting, better protection of their personal data and strengthened protection measures. 

Law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities play a key role in preventing and combating 
domestic  violence  and  femicide.  Improving  their  capacity  to  promptly  detect  risks  and 
intervene  is  key  to  ensuring  victims’  safety  and  ending  impunity.  The  Commission  will 
therefore  help  develop  guidelines  for  the  prevention,  detection,  efficient  handling  and 
prosecution of cases of violence against women, thereby seeking synergies with the networks, 
activities and expertise of EU agencies, in particular Europol, Eurojust and CEPOL. As part of 
this work, the Commission will look into how to facilitate cross-border cooperation between 
relevant authorities, which is necessary particularly for tackling gender-based cyber violence, 
often involving perpetrators, victims, platforms and servers located in different jurisdictions. 
This  will  be  essential  to  avoid  that perpetrators  exploit  jurisdictional  gaps  and  evade 
accountability, leaving victims without effective protection or remedy. 

The Digital Services Act (DSA) recognises gender-based violence as a systemic risk16, which 
providers  of  very  large  online  platforms  (VLOPs)  and  very  large  online  search  engines 

14 Art. 39, VAW Directive. 
15 See The EU strengthens the protection and support of victims of crime - Consilium.  
16 Art. 34(1)(d) Digital Services Act. 

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(VLOSEs)  have  to  assess  and  mitigate.  In  this  context  for  example,  the  Commission  is 
investigating  whether  the  provider  of  X  properly  assessed  and  mitigated  risks  to  the 
dissemination of illegal content such as manipulated sexually explicit images in relation to the 
deployment  of  Grok  AI  functionalities.  The  Commission  also  has  ongoing  investigations 
against the providers of four online platforms disseminating pornographic content to ensure 
that  minors  do  not  have  access  to  such  content.  The  Commission  will  continue  to  ensure 
rigorous enforcement of these cases and the legislation as a whole.  

To  inform  this  enforcement,  the  Commission  will  also  continue  its  risk  monitoring  and 
evidence-gathering work under the DSA, including through dedicated studies supporting the 
assessment of systemic risks related to gender-based violence. In parallel, the Commission will 
pursue a structured regulatory dialogue with VLOPs to strengthen compliance. Based on an 
analysis of risks, and in cooperation with national authorities, the Commission will use all tools 
available  to  ensure  the  effective  mitigation  of  risks  against  gender-based  violence, 
including where necessary issuing guidelines for VLOPs and VLOSEs. Such guidelines are 
envisaged in the DSA and designed to present best practices and recommend possible measures 
in relation to specific risks – in this case those related to gender-based violence. They can help 
the Commission set out which measures it considers that providers of VLOPs and VLOSEs 
should put in place to comply with their obligations under the DSA.  

In the same vein, the Commission will follow up with online platforms to ensure that they are 
implementing  the  2025  DSA  Guidelines  on  Protection  of  Minors,  where  the  Commission 
explains the measures that  providers of online  platforms accessible to  minors should put  in 
place to ensure a high level of privacy, security and safety to minors on their services, including 
measures to prevent the unwanted spread of sexualised or intimate content of children. The 
Commission  has  made  requests  for  information  and  will  continue  to  engage  with  several 
providers of VLOPs on how they manage the risks of users being able to download illegal or 
harmful apps, including so-called ‘nudify’ apps. 

The  Commission  will  also  help  build  the  capacity  of  trusted  flaggers  on  gender-based 
cyberviolence, to ensure that more such content is flagged to online platform providers. It will 
issue guidelines on trusted flaggers, aimed at clarifying their role in tackling illegal content, 
including gender-based violence. These guidelines will also help clarify the obligations on the 
providers of online platforms as regards notices received from trusted flaggers. 

A  further  area  of  attention  is  the  protection  of  child  victims  of  gender-based  violence. The 
Commission will ensure enforcement of EU legal provisions on protecting child victims. These 
efforts will be strengthened through an Action Plan on the Protection of Children against 
Crime which will also contribute to combating violence against girls and making the digital 
environment  safer  for  them.  The  Commission  also  launched  its  Action  Plan  against 
Cyberbullying, highlighting that women and girls are disproportionately targeted, and inviting 
Member States to establish comprehensive national anti-cyberbullying policies.  

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Most victims of trafficking are women and girls, mainly trafficked for sexual exploitation17. 
The  amended  Anti-Trafficking  Directive  includes  a  gender-sensitive  approach  and 
strengthened  response.  In  2026,  the  Commission  will  present  a  new  Strategy  to  address 
emerging challenges and needs in preventing and combatting trafficking in human beings and 
protecting its victims, in particular women and children. 

Robust  data  is  key  to  effectively  addressing  all  aspects  of  gender-based  violence.  The 
Commission will finance a second, extended wave of the EU-wide survey on gender-based 
violence,  also  covering  new  forms  of  cyberviolence,  to  be  carried  out  by  Eurostat.  The 
Commission and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) will also support Member 
States in improving the collection of administrative data on gender-based violence.  

The Commission will continue offering funding to combat gender-based violence through the 
Daphne strand of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, with  a 
budget of 200 million Euro for 2021-202718. The Commission intends to continue doing so 
under the proposed AgoraEU programme in the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework 
(MFF),  pending  interinstitutional  negotiations.  Moreover,  the  Commission  will  support 
projects’ long-term impact by promoting the visibility of their results, encouraging exchanges 
between project partners and identifying actions for scale up.  

All these efforts will contribute to the effective EU implementation of the Council of Europe 
Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence 
(Istanbul  Convention)  to  which  the  EU  acceded  in  2023.  It  is  essential  to  ensure 
implementation of the Convention, including by following up on the 2027 baseline evaluation 
report of the independent  Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and 
Domestic  Violence  and  implementing  subsequent  recommendations.  The  Commission  also 
repeats its call on all Member States to ratify and fully implement the Istanbul Convention 
as the main international framework to combat violence against women. 

Key actions by the Commission: 
✓  Support  Member  States  in  transposing  and  implementing  the  Violence Against  Women 
Directive,  monitor  national  plans,  and  develop  guidelines  for  law  enforcement  and 
prosecutorial authorities, including on cross-border cooperation (2026-2030);  

✓  Update  the  mapping  of  the  legal  landscape  on  rape  legislation  based  on  the  concept  of 

consent across the EU, in view of identifying further EU action (2027); 

✓  Pursue a structured regulatory dialogue with very large online platforms on gender-based 

cyber violence and help build up the capacity of Trusted Flaggers; 

✓  Support the implementation of the next EU gender-based violence survey (2027-2028) and 

the collection of administrative data (2026-2030). 

*** 

17 Eurostat (Trafficking in human beings statistics - Statistics Explained). 
18 Unless otherwise specified, all funding mentioned in this Strategy refers to funding under the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) 
running until 2027. Any future funding as part of the 2028-2034 MFF is not yet confirmed, pending interinstitutional negotiations. 

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Roadmap Principle 2: The highest standards of physical and mental health 

Gender  inequalities  significantly  impact  access  to  healthcare.  Women  are  affected  by  a 
range of gender-specific  barriers to  accessing  healthcare and suffer  from a  lack  of gender-
sensitive medical research, diagnostics and treatments19. For example, there is insufficient 
awareness  that  risks  and  symptoms  of  several  diseases,  like  cardiovascular  diseases,  differ 
between men and women. Moreover, this issue is often absent in medical education curricula. 
Gender norms associated with traditional masculinity can also adversely affect men and boys’ 
health, including discouraging help-seeking and increasing engagement in harmful behaviours. 
Furthermore,  intersecting inequalities worsen  barriers  to  healthcare  access  and can lead to 
discrimination in treatment, for instance for women with disabilities, migrant women, women 
in situations of financial vulnerability, LBTIQ+ women, Roma women or women in rural and 
remote areas.  

Advancing women’s health requires strengthening the training of healthcare professionals. 
Gender-responsive  content  in  medical,  nursing  and  other  health  curricula  throughout  the 
training  and  professional  lifecycle  can  help  ensure  that  healthcare  professionals  better 
understand how different diseases present in women, how gender-related risk factors influence 
outcomes, and how structural biases contribute to misdiagnosis and delayed care. 

Challenges  persist  in  advancing  women’s  access  to  sexual  and  reproductive  health  and 
rights  (SRHR).  Access  to  contraception  remains  uneven  across  the  EU  and  alternative 
contraceptive solutions for men are under-developed. Moreover, too many women and girls 
lack access to affordable menstrual products20. Women’s health experiences and conditions, 
such as menstruation,  menopause, endometriosis, and post-partum depression have not 
received sufficient attention in health research or treatment21.  

The  Commission  has  mainstreamed  gender  in  health  research  and  provided  targeted 
funding  on  women’s  health  issues  such  as  endometriosis  and  Polycystic  Ovary  Syndrome 
under the  Framework Programme  for Research and Innovation  (Horizon  2020 and  Horizon 
Europe)22. Additionally, it has integrated a gender perspective in the EU Beating Cancer Plan23 
and the Health Package, including the Safe Hearts Plan. 

The Commission will launch a new initiative with the World Health Organization (WHO) 
to explore ways to improve the quality and accessibility of women’s healthcare, including 
for those with disabilities. The project will provide opportunities to exchange best practices on 
improving  the  monitoring  and  analysis  of  gender  inequalities,  help  policy  makers  identify 

19 See, for example: European Institute for Gender Equality’s 2021 thematic focus on health.  
20 European Parliamentary Research Service's 2025 briefing on addressing menstrual poverty in the EU.  
21 See, for example: European Parliament 2025 Report on Gender Inequalities in Medical Research, Drug Development and Access to Care.  
22 By 2025 under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, the EU had invested over 2 billion euros in more than 1000 projects focused on women's 
health. See: EU Research and Innovation on Women's health. 
23 See: Analytical report 2026 | ECIR - European Cancer Inequalities Registry. 

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priorities and offer evidenced-based solutions for women’s health. Its results can help to bolster 
gender mainstreaming in all health-related initiatives, including EU-funded health research.  

The Commission  will also fund a  study on the  macro- and micro-economic and societal 
benefits of closing the women’s health gap related to certain conditions, like menopause. To 
ensure  that  medicines  are  safe  and  effective  for  all,  the  Commission,  together  with  the 
European  Medicines  Agency,  will  investigate  the  feasibility  of  developing  a  systematic 
gender-sensitive check in the product lifecycle of human medicine, including research and 
development.  This  will  build  on  the  work  on  gender-sensitive  clinical  trials  within  the 
Accelerate Clinical Trials in the EU initiative, considering that EU pharmaceutical legislation, 
including the Medicines Directive, ensures that only medicinal products meeting quality, safety 
and efficacy requirements are authorised for all patients. Further, the proposed revision of the 
Clinical Trials Regulation under the EU Biotech Act requires consideration to ensure trials 
reflect population diversity and improve treatments for vulnerable groups. In addition, 
women who become pregnant or begin breastfeeding will not be automatically excluded from 
trial  participation.  The  Commission  will  also  adopt  a  gender-responsive  approach  when 
ensuring access and availability to medical countermeasures, such as vaccines, therapeutics, 
diagnostics, and personal protective equipment. 

In full respect of the Treaties, and in particular Member States’ responsibilities for the definition 
of their health policy including bioethical questions and for the organisation of health services 
and  medical  care,  in  order  to  protect  women’s  health  by  supporting  and  complementing 
Member States’ health action regarding women’s access to SRHR, the Commission envisages 
to carry out a mapping of practices and international frameworks in this area. It also plans 
to  develop  a  framework  and  methodology  for  systemic  data  collection  to  improve  the 
evidence base on SRHR. In addition, the Commission intends to support initiatives that aim to 
enhance access to contraception in the EU, to improve availability and accessibility. 

Moreover, in February 2026, the Commission gave its reply to the “My Voice My Choice: For 
Safe and Legal Abortion” European Citizens Initiative (ECI). The reply acknowledges that 
unsafe abortion is a matter of public health, and underlines that Member States may, if they 
wish,  use  the  European  Social  Fund+  to  improve  equal  access  to  legally  available  and 
affordable safe abortion services. 

 Key actions by the Commission: 

✓  Launch a new initiative with the World Health Organization on women’s health (2026); 
✓  Launch a study on the economic and societal benefits of closing the women’s health gap 

related to certain conditions, such as menopause (2028); 

✓  Support Member States’ health action regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights 

by mapping practices and international frameworks (2028); 

✓  Implement  the  Commission’s  reply  to  the  European  Citizens’  Initiative:  “My Voice  My 

Choice: For Safe and Legal Abortion” (2026-2027). 

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*** 

Roadmap Principle 3: Equal pay, economic empowerment and financial independence 

Women  still  earn  on  average  12%  less  per  hour  than  men  in  the  EU24,  highlighting 
persistent  gender  inequalities  in  the  labour  market.  Tackling  this  is  a  matter  of  righting  an 
injustice and delivering on the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights25, thereby 
unlocking the economic potential of improved gender equality. 

The Pay Transparency Directive is a game changer for tackling pay discrimination and the 
undervaluation of female-dominated jobs, which are root causes of the gender pay gap. The 
Commission  will  continue  to  support  Member  States  in  the  effective  and  timely 
implementation  of  this  Directive.  In  cooperation  with  EIGE,  it  will  publish  a  toolkit  on 
gender-neutral job evaluation and classification in 2026. The toolkit will include tailored 
tools to help small and medium-sized companies to carry out these processes in-house, without 
the need for external consultancy. Moreover, the Commission will provide additional funding 
to  support  the  implementation  of  the  Directive  and  will  organise  a  workshop  for  social 
partners on how they can support its implementation.  

In  addition,  the  Pay  Transparency  Directive  refers  to  the  provisions  in  the  2014  Public 
Procurement Directives, and it requires Member States to take appropriate measures to ensure 
that in the performance of public contracts economic operators comply with their obligations 
related to the principle of equal pay26. 

Women across the EU also face difficulties in accessing investment, significantly holding back 
women-led companies. For every 100 euros of venture capital investment, less than 3 euros go 
to  women-led  teams,  and  only  15  euros  go  to  mixed  gender  teams27.  Closing  this  gender 
investment  gap  is  key  for  EU  competitiveness.  Moreover,  closing  the  gender  financial 
literacy  gap28  is  crucial  for  boosting  women’s  entrepreneurship  and  investment,  and 
empowering women in financial decision-making.  

Gender-smart  financing  targets  in  implementing  agreements  for  EU  investment  funding 
play a crucial role in improving access to funding. Building on the experience of the European 
Investment Bank (EIB) – an implementing partner under InvestEU, which largely surpassed 
the current gender-smart financing target of 25% – the Commission will propose to further 
expand gender-smart targets in the context of future funding programmes. In collaboration with 
the EIB Group, the Commission will continue actions to improve access to finance for women 
entrepreneurs  in  the  EU and  increase  female  representation  in  the  financial  sector  (such  as 
through the Gender Finance Lab). Future programmes such as the European Competitiveness 

24 The gender pay gap situation in the EU - European Commission. 
25 Art. 157 TFEU and Art. 23 Charter of Fundamental Rights. 
26 Gender-responsive Public Procurement: Step-by-step toolkit | European Institute for Gender Equality. 
27 The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency’s 2025 report on the gender investment gap affecting both women-led 
companies and women-led investment funds.  
28 Source: Eurostat Monitoring the level of financial literacy in the EU - July 2023 - Eurobarometer survey. 

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Fund  (pending  interinstitutional  negotiations),  could  also  provide  support  to  women-led 
business  development  and  promote  women’s  entrepreneurship.  Furthermore, 
the 
implementation of the Financial Literacy Strategy will aim to reinforce its gender-responsive 
approach.  The  ESTEAM  initiative,  aimed  at  enhancing  women’s  and  girls’  digital  and 
entrepreneurial competences, will train approximately 10 000 girls and women by 2028.  

Furthermore,  the  Commission  will  publish  a  report  on  the  implementation  of  Directive 
2004/113 on the access to and supply of goods and services and will carry out a stress test of 
Directive  2010/41  on  self-employed  work.  The  aim  is  to  identify  why  the  directives  are 
currently  under-used  although  gender  equality  challenges  persist  in  both  areas.  This  will 
provide  a  comprehensive  evidence  base  for  future  action  to  address  gaps  in  the  scope  and 
application of the existing legislation. 

Women, particularly women in situations of vulnerability, are at a heightened risk of poverty 
or social exclusion across the EU. For example, single parents, predominantly women, have 
difficulties in making ends meet and face twice as high a risk of poverty or social exclusion as 
the  general  population.  The  Council  Recommendation  on  adequate  minimum  income 
ensuring active inclusion calls on Member States to ensure the possibility of requesting the 
minimum income to be provided to individual members of the household. Individual benefits 
can  promote  gender  equality,  income  security  and  the  economic  independence  of  women. 
Going forward, the Commission intends to integrate a strong gender perspective in the EU’s 
first ever Anti-Poverty Strategy.  

In line with the European Affordable Housing Plan, the Commission will propose a Council 
Recommendation  on  fighting  housing  exclusion  to  promote  inclusive  data  collection  and 
support vulnerable persons in precarious housing situations, including single parents (majority 
women), older  people  (women  live  longer)  and  victims  of  gender-based  violence.  The 
Commission will also publish a study on housing inequality and discrimination, taking an 
intersectional approach. 

Menstrual  and  menopause  poverty  affect  many  women  across  the  EU. Although  reduced 
VAT rates cannot be targeted to low income (or any specific) groups, the revision of the VAT 
Directive in 2022 made it possible for Member States to apply a reduced or 0% rate on female 
hygiene products. Other possible measures, that can be better targeted to those in need, include 
making menstrual products free of charge or organising free distribution to specific groups. 
The  Commission  will  organise  an  exchange  of  best  practices  on  measures  to  effectively 
combat menstrual and menopause poverty at national level. 

The EU gender pension gap still stands at 25%29, contributing to older women being at greater 
risk of poverty and social exclusion than older men. The Intergenerational Fairness Strategy 
highlights how the inequalities in employment, pay and care responsibilities widen gender gaps 
in income security and pensions in later life. Further efforts to address the root causes of the 

29 Source: Eurostat (Women’s pension 25% lower than men’s in 2024). 
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gender pension gap, including career breaks, part-time employment, and insufficient savings, 
and to adapt pension system design, are necessary to close the gap. To this end, the Commission 
will  explore  ways  to  address  labour  market  outcomes  and  relevant  pension  system 
features that drive the gender pension gap, and map and support exchange of best practices 
in addressing the gap. The Commission will enhance the monitoring of the gap and its root 
causes under the Social Scoreboard and put forward recommendations under the European 
Semester.  Moreover,  the  principle  of  equal  opportunities  for  women  and  men  to  acquire 
pension rights is implemented under the European Pillar of Social Rights. The Commission 
will also provide an analysis of the situation of older women and the gender gaps in pension 
benefits and poverty in the 2027 Report on Adequate Social Protection in Old Age.  

Key actions by the Commission: 
✓  Publish,  together  with  the  European  Institute  for  Gender  Equality,  a  toolkit  on  gender-
neutral job evaluation and classification, and support social partners in the implementation 
of the Pay Transparency Directive (2026);  

✓  Publish a report on Directive 2004/113/EC on access to and supply of goods and services 
(2029) and conduct a stress test of Directive 2010/41/EU on self-employment (2028); 
✓  Map  and  support  exchange  of  best  practices  in  addressing  the  gender  pension  gap  and 

explore ways to address its drivers (2026-2030). 

Roadmap Principle 4: Work-life balance and gender equality in care 

*** 

Many women struggle to combine their professional and private lives, as they continue to 
bear the larger share of unpaid care and household responsibilities. More than double the 
share  of  women  (41  %)  than  men  (20%)  in  the  EU  spend  more  than  35  hours  a  week  on 
childcare30. Caring responsibilities are among the main reasons why women work part-time or 
are  economically  inactive31.  Increasing  the  uptake  of  family  leaves  and  flexible  working 
arrangements by fathers and male carers is key to closing this gender care gap and will help 
men  benefit  more  from  their  rights.  Moreover,  despite  significant  investments  under  the 
Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  in  building  and  expanding  childcare  services32,  many 
families still do not have access to high quality and affordable early childhood education 
and care or long-term care services, hampering women’s participation in the labour market. 
The care sector itself is highly gender-segregated, with structurally low wages and difficult 
working conditions, requiring gender-responsive action.  

The European Care Strategy sets out a framework for high-quality, affordable and accessible 
care services and improve the situation for both caregivers and care receivers.  The Work-Life 
Balance Directive establishes a robust legal framework to ensure the availability of flexible 
working arrangements and adequately paid family leaves for parents and carers, encouraging 

30 EIGE Sharing Care_Closing the Gender Gaps Survey_2024. 
31 See 2025 Eurofound research report Unpaid care in the EU. 
32 Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard - Thematic analysis_Equality_2023. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
fathers to take up paternity and family leaves. The proposal for the future Common Agricultural 
Policy includes the possibility for Member States to provide support for Farm Relief Services, 
enabling farmers to take parental and family care leave. With the Council Recommendation 
on the Barcelona targets for 2030, Member States committed to targets for participation in 
early  childhood  education  and  care  as  well  as  to  standards  for  quality  and  affordability. 
Similarly,  with  the Council Recommendation on access  to affordable high-quality long-
term care, Member States committed to improve services and address workforce challenges.  

The  Commission  will  assess  the  implementation  by  all  Member  States  of  the  Work-Life 
Balance Directive and report on this by 2028. This report will be accompanied by two studies 
on the rights to family leave for self-employed persons, and on interactions between the leaves 
provided for in the Directive and other types of family-related leaves. The Commission will 
also  address  persistent  stereotypes  that  lead  to  the  lack  of  uptake  of  leaves  by  men  and 
support the monitoring of men’s uptake of leaves by encouraging Member States to adopt the 
work-life balance indicator  framework, jointly developed in  the advisory  committees to  the 
Employment and Social Affairs Council33. Alongside this, the Commission will present reports 
on the implementation of the Council Recommendation on the Barcelona targets and on 
the implementation of the Council Recommendation on long-term care. Moreover, the EU 
Demography  Forum  will  address  gender  equality  aspects  of  demographic  developments, 
drawing on data from the Demography Report.  

Working  conditions  in  the  care  sector  remain  a  particular  area  of  attention. This  female-
dominated  sector  is  characterised  by  low  salaries,  higher  prevalence  of  precarious  work 
contracts than in other sectors, and tenuous working schedules, lack of collective bargaining 
and lack of access to training. A sectoral social dialogue committee was set at European level 
to  support  social  dialogue  in  the  sector.  Domestic  workers,  who  often  have  a  migrant 
background, are particularly vulnerable. The Commission therefore urges Member States to 
ratify and implement ILO Convention 189 on decent work for domestic workers.  

To review progress achieved under the European Care Strategy, the Commission will conduct 
an Implementation Dialogue  on Care. This  dialogue  will review  progress on provision  of 
early childhood education and care services, long-term care services, fair working conditions 
and training in the care sector. The dialogue will inform the European Care Deal, which will 
integrate a strong gender perspective. It will lay out a comprehensive set of measures to address 
the  challenges  of  the  care  sector  and  workforce.  This  includes  improving  the  working 
conditions and career development of carers and the affordability, accessibility and quality of 
care. The Care Deal will also promote more equal participation of men and women in formal 
and  informal  care,  and  look  at  investment  in  care,  exploring  opportunities  brought  by 
digitalisation and different business models, to promote fair employment and high-quality care. 

Key actions by the Commission: 

33 See: Monitoring and benchmarking frameworks - Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
✓  Publish a report on the implementation of the Directive on Work-Life Balance (2028);  
✓  Publish reports on the implementation of the Council Recommendation on early childhood 

education and care and of the Council Recommendation on long-term care (2027); 

✓  Present a comprehensive European Care Deal (2027). 

*** 

Roadmap Principle 5: Equal employment opportunities and adequate working conditions 

The 2030 EU headline target for employment aims at halving the gender employment gap. 
Yet women’s employment rate remains 10 percentage points lower than that of men34. This gap 
alone was estimated to account for a loss of EUR 390 billion for the EU economy in 202335. 
The gender employment gap is the result of various barriers and incentive structures, such as 
those in national tax systems, lacking flexible work arrangements and unequal wages. Gender 
stereotypes inhibit many women and men from pursuing their professional goals and lead to 
male- and female-dominated sectors. The gender employment gap is particularly pronounced 
for mothers, migrant and Roma women, women with disabilities and women in rural areas. 

The Commission will enhance the gender and intersectional lens in actions under the European 
Pillar of Social Rights, including to increase women’s labour market participation. It will also 
keep  promoting  diversity  and  inclusion  through  the  EU  Platform  of  Diversity  Charters, 
facilitating dialogue and providing guidance, including on inclusive hiring practices. 

Women face barriers to progressing to the top levels of management, due to gender stereotypes, 
discrimination, career breaks (related to care responsibilities), and a lack of flexible working 
arrangements.  The  Directive  on  gender  balance  on  corporate  boards  constitutes  an 
important legislative framework to address gender imbalances in corporate leadership. In 2026, 
the Commission will report on measures adopted by Member States that are equally effective 
and  allow  to  suspend  the  application  of  the  merits-based  selection  procedure  set  out  in  the 
Directive.  The  Commission  will  present  a  comprehensive  assessment  of  the  Directive’s 
effectiveness and efficiency by 2029. Gender balance in leadership and participation is crucial 
also in public administration to ensure policy-making reflects society’s diversity36. Within its 
own organisation, the Commission has taken measures to reach gender parity in management 
positions, resulting in 49% of management positions filled by women, up from 40% in 2019. 
This  achievement  will  be  sustained  with  targeted  measures,  as  consolidating  the  progress 
remains a political priority.  

Women are also exposed to specific risks at work across different sectors and types of work, 
including for women in mobile and seasonal workplaces. One in three women in the EU have 
experienced sexual harassment at work, a figure that rises to 41.6% among women aged 

34 Gender statistics - Statistics Explained - Eurostat. 
35 Eurofound‘s Press Release 2025: ’Mind the Gap! The Gender Employment Gap Cost Europe Over €390 Billion in 2023’.  
36 While on average in the EU, there is close to gender parity in the top tiers of national public administrations (48% women in senior civil 
service roles), significant disparities remain between Member States (ranging from 26% to 63% women): Indicator: National administrations: 
top two tiers of administrators by function of government | Gender Statistics Database | European Institute for Gender Equality. 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18–29 years37. Sexual harassment at work is prohibited in EU legislation38 but there is a lack 
of dedicated prevention, reporting, and victim support mechanisms. While the EU has a robust 
framework for occupational  health and safety  (OSH), more  action  is  needed  to  prevent  and 
remedy sexual harassment at work as a psychosocial risk, including possible legislative action. 
In the framework of the Quality Jobs Act, on the basis of social partners’ replies to the first 
stage consultation39 and pending the second stage consultation, the Commission will consider 
action  to  better  address  sexual  harassment  in  the  workplace.  The  future  EU  Strategic 
Framework on Health and Safety at Work will also be an opportunity for a broader gender-
responsive  approach,  including  on  third-party  violence.  The  Online  Interactive  Risk 
Assessment  tool  on  sexual  harassment  and  third-party  violence  developed  by  the  European 
Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) provides practical support to employers 
and  workers  on  preventing  and  detecting  sexual  harassment.  In  2027,  EU-OSHA  will  also 
launch  a  Healthy  Workplace  Campaign  on  mental  health  at  work  and  preventing 
psychosocial risks, including sexual harassment and violence.  

Moreover,  the  Commission  will  further  work  on  eliminating  psychological  and  sexual 
harassment  in  its  own  public  administration.  This  will  build  on  the  work  of  the  Chief 
Confidential  Counsellor  and  the  renewed  anti-harassment  framework,  by  implementing 
dedicated  action  plans  on  harassment  prevention,  and  addressing  repercussions  of  domestic 
violence in the workplace, in line with the EU’s obligations under the Istanbul Convention. 

New risks to women are also arising due to artificial intelligence, such as gender bias in 
recruitment,  evaluation,  or  algorithmic  management.  The  AI  Act  imposes  obligations  on 
providers  and  deployers  of  high-risk  AI  systems  in  the  areas  of  employment,  workers’ 
management and self-employment. Certain deployers of high-risk AI systems need to conduct 
a fundamental rights impact assessment, aimed at identifying and evaluating possible risks that 
high-risk AI system can pose to fundamental rights, including sex-based discrimination. In the 
Quality Jobs Roadmap, the Commission identified algorithmic management and AI at work 
as potential areas for EU action in the context of the Quality Jobs Act.  

Gender imbalances, particularly pronounced in certain sectors, are being addressed by specific 
initiatives such as the Digital Decade Policy Programme, the Construction Blueprint, the 
EU  Space  and  Defence  Industry  Diversity  &  Inclusion  Network,  the  ‘Women  in 
Transport’  Platform  and  the  network  of Ambassadors  for  #DiversityInTransport.  The 
Commission will also launch new gender-responsive initiatives to address imbalances in other 
sectors, such as a Women in Farming platform, an EU Artists’ Charter and an Action Plan 
on Women in Research, Innovation & Startups. The Commission will also carry out an EU 
survey on diversity and inclusion in the defence, industry and space sectors. 

37 ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment addresses also gender-based violence and harassment. 13 EU Member States have ratified 
the Convention so far. 
38 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 Directive). 
39 Quality Jobs Act_First-phase consultation. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Standards need to be inclusive of the whole EU population, including women. The Commission 
will further promote inclusive standard-setting by supporting the creation of a representative 
data  sample  of  the  EU  population  and  building  on  the  study  on  the  inclusiveness  of 
anthropometrics in European harmonised standards. In the context of the upcoming European 
Product Act, the Commission will strive to promote the full diversity of the EU population by 
addressing  gender-specific  elements  in  relevant  sectoral  legislations,  notably  in  standard 
setting. It will also encourage the European Standardisation System to adequately account 
for  elements  that  have  a  direct  impact  on  women  and  will  continue  promoting  equal 
representation of women in the governance of European Standardisation Organisations. 

Moreover,  the  Commission  will  further  support  the  full  implementation  of  the  General 
Product  Safety  Regulation  regarding  the  explicit  inclusion  of  gender  in  the  assessment  of 
safety of products, recognising that biological and physiological differences can influence how 
risks  affect  women.  Notably,  the  Commission  will  support  gender-sensitive  product  safety 
through guidance tools, dedicated exchanges with authorities and economic operators.  

Key actions by the Commission 
✓  Present an assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of the Directive on gender balance 

on corporate boards (2029); 

✓  Consider action to better address sexual harassment in the workplace in the context of the 
Quality Jobs Act (2026) and the future EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at 
Work (2028); 

✓  Present an Action Plan for Women in Research, Innovation and Startups (2026); 
✓  Encourage the European Standardisation System to adequately account for all the elements 

directly impacting women (2026-2030).  

Roadmap Principle 6: High-quality and inclusive education and training 

*** 

All  girls  and  boys  should  have  the  chance  to  freely  pursue  their  ambitions  but  often  face 
gender-specific  challenges  in  education,  leading  to  uneven  educational  outcomes.  Gender 
stereotypes  influence  educational  choices  with  lifelong  consequences,  contributing  to 
occupational segregation. Gender-sensitive education can be a truly transformative tool to 
tackle gender inequalities and ensure all children in the EU, regardless of their gender, have 
access  to  high-quality  and  inclusive  education  and  training.  Ensuring  access  and 
dismantling barriers is especially pressing for girls and boys from underrepresented groups, 
including those with a racial or ethnic minority background, lower socio-economic or migrant 
background, and children with disabilities. Under the 2021-2030 Strategic Framework for 
European cooperation in education and training, the Commission will continue to support 
Member States in achieving these goals in the full respect of their competences in this area.  

Effectively  fighting  gender  imbalances  in  education  requires  targeted  actions  in  strategic 
sectors such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), where women are 
under-represented.  Interest  in  these  disciplines  must  be  fostered  from  an  early  age.  The 
14 

 
 
 
 
Commission  will  present  a  comprehensive  education  package  in  2026  to  strengthen  the 
acquisition of basic skills – including mathematics, sciences and digital competences. Together 
with the ‘Girls Go STEM’ initiative, proposed by the Commission and led by the European 
Institute of Technology under the STEM Education Strategic Plan, it will contribute to the 
wider target of attracting one million girls to STEM by 2028. Advancing women in STEM is 
one of three key objectives of the Strategic Plan. A European STEAM Executive Panel will 
advise on strategic issues, including on how to mainstream successful practices to attract more 
girls and women to STEM. 

In parallel, greater emphasis is also needed on addressing the gender-specific needs of boys, 
who are less likely to be among the top performers in all EU countries. The Commission will 
promote a “Boys in HEAL” (Health, Education, Administration, Literacy) approach. It will 
publish  a  handbook  on  evidence-based  solutions  to  reduce  gender-based  disparities  in 
study  choices  and  educational  outcomes.  Drawing  on  this,  the  Commission  will  consider 
launching an initiative to help attract more boys and men into these study fields and sectors. 
The  Commission  will  also  better  support  teachers  and  schools  in  tackling  gender 
stereotypes  by  supporting  the  development  and  promotion  of  material  on  this  topic,  for 
example through the European School Education Platform and Erasmus+ projects. 

In higher education, men are underrepresented and women tend to out-perform them in terms 
of educational achievement. The Commission will consider further initiatives to increase the 
accessibility of higher education and ensure that a wide range of learners graduate.  

Culture and sport are powerful enablers to fight gender stereotypes in educational settings 
and beyond. At EU level several initiatives use culture to promote gender equality, whilst sport 
policy encourages women role models and contributes to closing the gender gap in physical 
activity. The Commission will further gender mainstreaming in these areas, particularly in the 
European Week of Sport, #BeActive EU Sport Awards, Erasmus+ Sport and in the Strategic 
Vision for Sport in Europe to reinforce the European Sport Model. 

Key actions by the Commission: 
✓  Present an education package that will contribute to attract more girls to STEM (Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields and careers (2026); 

✓  Promote a “Boys in  HEAL” (Health, Education, Administration and Literacy)  approach 
(2026-2030) and publish a handbook on reducing gender-based disparities in study choices 
and educational outcomes (2028); 

✓  Support  the  development  and  promotion  of  material  on  tackling  gender  stereotypes  for 

schools and teachers.  

*** 

Roadmap Principle 7: Active, equal and safe participation in public and political life 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Existing power structures hold women back from full, equal and meaningful participation and 
leadership in politics and public life. Only one-third of national parliamentarians and senior 
ministers in the EU are women. Moreover, the 2024 European elections saw a decline in the 
share of women elected to the European Parliament, falling below 40%40. Women in politics 
are  also  often  the  target  of  attacks  about  their  qualifications,  experience,  and  skills,  with 
disinformation used to undermine their credibility, question their legitimacy, and discourage 
both  public  support  and  their  own  political  participation41.  One-third  of  women  in  politics 
suffering  from  cyberviolence  quit  social  media42.  Gender-based  violence  against  women 
journalists  is  also  widespread,  with  women  journalists  more  often  targeted  online,  and 
subjected to more vicious and sexualized attacks43. The misogynist hate and violence women 
in  politics  and  public  life  experience  undermines  their  fundamental  rights  and  the  very 
foundation of democracy.  

At EU level, the Regulation on the status and funding of European political parties and 
European  foundations  requires  European  political  parties  and  foundations  to  publish 
information  about  the  gender  balance  among  their  members  and  governing  bodies.  The 
Commission  Recommendation  on  inclusive  and  resilient  electoral  processes  encourages 
national political parties to put in place gender-balanced candidate lists and promotes action to 
address  gender-based  hate  speech  against  politically  active  women.  The  Commission  will 
update  its  mapping  of  legal  and  policy  measures  in  Member  States  promoting  the 
participation and leadership of women in politics, public administration and parliaments 
by including  the most recent  best  practices. It will assess best  practices  and progress  made, 
forming the basis for possible further action.  

As  announced  in  the  European  Democracy  Shield,  the  Commission  will  present  a 
Commission  Recommendation  on  safety  in  politics  for  political  candidates  and  elected 
representatives concerning offline and online threats, including as regards disinformation and 
a  dedicated  guide  of  best  practices.  This  will  pay  specific  attention  to  women,  as  they  are 
disproportionately targeted. Measures will also include coaching, mentoring and networking 
for women politicians, training for political leaders, and awareness-raising actions.  

The Commission takes disinformation attacks against women in politics very seriously. The 
DSA Code of Conduct on Disinformation provides a key tool in this regard. Under the future 
AgoraEU programme (pending adoption), the Commission  could make funding available to 
support  women  in  politics,  including  for  example  for  tackling  online  hate. The  ProtectEU 
Internal Security Strategy highlights the importance of training Member States’ competent 
authorities to use legal tools to remove illegal content online, including to tackle gender-based 
cyber violence.  

40  See Commission’s Report on the 2024 elections to the European Parliament, COM(2025) 287 final. 
41 See JRC: ‘Shut up and do the dishes! Toxicity and Gender in Digital Political Spaces: Evidence from the 2024 European Elections’ (2025). 
42 The Council of European Municipalities and Regions' 2024 Study on 'WOMEN IN POLITICS Local and European Trends'. 
43 Violence Against Women Journalists and Politicians - OSCE report 2021. 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
Anti-gender narratives, online illegal content and its artificial amplification threaten the EU’s 
democratic space44,  including  by  driving polarisation between young women and men45. 
Studies  show  that  this  is  promoted  and  funded  by  well-resourced  global  movements46,  and 
increasingly  exploited  through  foreign  information  manipulation  and  interference.  Through 
Horizon Europe, the Commission has supported research to counter disinformation and hate 
speech,  understand  the  roots  of  polarisation  and  address  anti-gender  narratives.  The 
Commission will launch a study on the online networks, spheres and narratives targeting 
young men and boys, and their possible links to anti-democratic forces and hate movements. 
The  Commission  will  also  enhance  its  engagement  with  civil  society  organisations  and 
community-building initiatives that counter information manipulation and disinformation on 
gender,  including  through  roundtables  with  men  and  boys.  Moreover,  the  Commission  will 
organise a Policy Practice Joint Event on misogyny and incel ideology among young people 
under the EU Knowledge Hub on the prevention of radicalisation.  

Key actions by the Commission:  
✓  Present a Commission Recommendation on safety in politics (2026);  
✓  Update  the  mapping  of  legal  and  policy  measures  to  promote  the  participation  and 

leadership of women in politics, public administration and parliaments (2027); 

✓  Carry out a study on online networks, spheres and narratives targeting young men and boys 

(2028). 

Roadmap Principle 8: Institutional mechanisms that deliver on gender equality 

*** 

Actions  to  advance  gender  equality  can  only  be  effective  if  supported  by  institutions  and 
processes  that  promote  gender  equality  and  the  mainstreaming  of  a  gender  equality 
perspective across all policy areas. EIGE will launch a Gender Mainstreaming Helpdesk in 
2026  to  further  support  gender  mainstreaming  at  Member  State  level.  In  addition,  the 
Commission will support Member State authorities to build capacity and develop guidelines 
on gender mainstreaming, including gender budgeting. The Commission will also continue to 
support the implementation of the Directives on Standards for Equality Bodies.  

To promote gender mainstreaming across all EU policies, including in cross-cutting areas 
such  as  climate  and  environmental  policies,  the  Commission  will  further  build  on  progress 
made  by  the  Task  Force  on  Equality  with  the  network  of  Equality  Coordinators  in  all 
Directorates-General and Services and the European External Action Service (EEAS). Equality 
contact points have also been appointed in the cabinets of each Commissioner.  

EU  funds  will  continue  to  promote  gender  equality.  Under  the  CERV  programme,  the 
Commission  will  continue  to  support  civil  society  organisations,  social  partners  and  public 
authorities  in  implementing  EU  gender  equality  legislation  and  policies.  Through  Horizon 

44 ProtectEU: a European Internal Security Strategy, COM/2025/148 final. 
45 See JRC Policy Brief: ‘Gender Attitudes in the EU: Uneven Progress and Partial Polarisation’ (2025). 
46 Datta, Neil, The Next Wave: How Religious Extremism Is Regaining Power | EPF (2025). 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Europe, the Commission also reaffirms its commitment to fund dedicated research on gender 
equality,  with  an  intersectional  approach.  It  will  also  continue  supporting  the  mandatory 
integration of the gender dimension in research and innovation content. 

The implementation of the 2028-2034 MFF (pending interinstitutional negotiations) provides 
a  key  opportunity  to  strengthen  gender  mainstreaming  in  the  EU  budget.  The  proposed 
Performance  Regulation  makes  gender  equality  a  horizontal  principle  for  most  EU  funding 
programmes,  including  the  National  and  Regional  Partnership  Plans.  The  Performance 
Regulation also introduces a consistent framework for mainstreaming gender equality across 
the budget, through a methodology to track EU expenditure supporting gender equality and 
through  disaggregation  by  gender  of  performance  indicators.  The  Commission  intends  to 
present technical guidance on the tracking methodology by the end of 202647. Moreover, 
gender equality will continue to be addressed in the European Semester, to identify and tackle 
pressing gender equality challenges.  

The EU Committee of the Regions plays an important role in promoting women's political 
participation in cities and regions, and the local and regional authorities are central in fostering 
gender  equality  and  equal  political  representation.  Likewise,  the  European  Economic  and 
Social Committee channels the commitment of social partners and civil society organisations 
to gender equality as a pillar of democracy, social justice, and inclusive growth. 

The role of civil society in promoting gender equality is key. The Commission will continue to 
make  funding  available  for  feminist  and  women’s  rights  organisations,  both  as  part  of  the 
current CERV programme and the proposed AgoraEU programme (pending interinstitutional 
negotiations).  The  Commission  will  strengthen  the  representation  of  civil  society  in  the 
Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men and provide a regular 
and structured framework for dialogue on protecting and promoting EU values under the 
Civil Society Platform48. This will enhance the resilience of CSOs, including organisations 
dedicated  to  gender  equality.  The  Commission  will  specifically  expand  cooperation  with 
gender equality-focused organisations that engage and support men and boys.  

Evidence-based  gender  equality  policy  requires  robust,  sex-disaggregated  data  and  the 
Commission  commits  to  its  systematic  collection.  The  upcoming  Recommendation  on 
equality data will include a recommendation that data be disaggregated by sex and by other 
grounds of discrimination. 

Preparedness policies need also to be gender-responsive. As recognised in the Preparedness 
Union  Strategy,  women  and  girls  can  be  disproportionately  affected  by  crises  and 
emergencies.  For  example,  extreme  weather  events  create  serious  health  complications  for 
pregnant  or  older  women,  including  increased  risk  of  hospitalisation.  To  address  this,  the 
Commission will continue to mainstream diversity and inclusion in Union Civil Protection 
Mechanism training activities and operations, with a focus on promoting gender balance.  

47 Pending adoption of Art. 7(3) of the proposal for a Regulation establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework and 
other horizontal rules for the Union programmes and activities, COM(2025) 545 final, 16.07.2025.  
48 See EU Strategy for Civil Society, COM(2025) 790 final. 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Urban planning has great potential for advancing gender equality through ensuring that public 
spaces are safe for women and girls, and that infrastructure and services such as care services 
and public transport are adapted to their needs49. The EU Agenda for Cities 2025 recognises 
the  gender-specific  challenges  of  urban  planning  and  offers  ways  to  further  advance  these 
matters with cities, such as through the future EU Cities Platform. The Commission will also 
continue  to  support  and  recognise  local  authorities  championing  inclusivity  through  the 
European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Awards. 

To drive the realisation of the Roadmap for Women’s Rights’ principles at national level, 
the Commission calls on all Member States to put in place national gender equality action 
plans by the end of 2027. The Mutual Learning Programme on Gender Equality and the 
High-Level Group on Gender Mainstreaming provide excellent platforms for exchange of 
best practices and monitoring the implementation of this Strategy and the national plans.  

The Commission will monitor and report on the implementation of all Strategies under the 
Union of Equality, including taking stock of progress made under this Strategy and tracking 
its actions. The Commission will also launch a communication campaign on the Union of 
Equality, featuring a strong gender dimension and an intersectional approach, and launch a 
Research and Innovation Network for a Union of Equality under Horizon Europe. 

Key actions by the Commission: 
✓  Ensure  gender  mainstreaming  in  the  implementation  of  the  next  MFF  (2028-2034) 

(pending adoption); 

✓  Present technical guidance on the tracking of gender equality expenditure (2026); 
✓  Strengthen  the  representation  of  civil  society  in  the  Advisory  Committee  on  Equal 

Opportunities for Women and Men (2026). 

3.  Gender Equality in EU External Action 

No country in the world is currently on track to achieve full gender equality by 2030. Progress 
on gender equality is increasingly stalled and reversed across many parts of the world, as record 
levels of armed conflict, democratic backsliding, geopolitical fragmentation and accelerating 
impacts of climate change reshape global security environments. Defunding of gender equality 
threatens  human  development  prospects,  including  women’s  access  to  SRHR.  One  third  of 
women worldwide have suffered physical or sexual violence and over 200 million women and 
girls are affected by female genital mutilation50. Women’s rights are severely compromised in 
conflicts,  where  women  face  increased  levels  of  gender-based  violence.  Women  also  face 
higher risks from climate-related disasters, food insecurity, and resource scarcity, while gender 

49 See the Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions on Stopping gender-based violence – cities and regions leading the way (2024), 
as well as UN Women’s global initiative on Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces for women and girls (2025).  
50 WHO 2024 - Violence against women statistics. 

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inequality  also  amplifies  the  impacts  of  environmental  challenges.  Recognising  the 
intersectional effects of climate change, conflict, displacement and migration on women and 
girls,  providing  gender-responsive  recovery  and  reconstruction  support,  and  supporting 
women’s rights organisations, are essential elements of addressing the root causes of fragility 
and strengthening societal preparedness and resilience to crises. 

The EU remains committed to prioritising gender equality and eradicating all forms of 
gender-based  violence  in  its  external  action  in  order  to  accelerate  progress  towards 
international  commitments,  including  the  Beijing  Declaration  and  Platform  for Action.  The 
implementation of the Gender Action Plan (GAP) III until the end of 2027 will be a stepping 
stone for this. The Commission will launch a public stakeholders’  consultation to develop a 
successor  policy  framework,  the  Gender Action  Plan  IV  for  2028-2034,  which  is  to  be 
adopted jointly with the High Representative. Based on the consultation and lessons learned, 
the GAP IV will define priorities and initiatives across external action. EU delegations in third 
countries and EU missions will implement them.   

Bilateral  human  rights  dialogues  with  non-EU  countries  and  regional  organisations  will 
continue to include gender equality considerations, to support gender-responsive actions and 
budgeting in partner countries. In its election observations, the EU will continue to assess the 
extent to which women enjoy full, equal and meaningful participation in political and public 
life. The EU will also promote women’s increased access to decent jobs, entrepreneurship and 
income security, while delivering wider benefits for health, food security and nutrition as part 
of  the  Global  Gateway.  Gender  equality, women’s  empowerment, education and  training 
are cross-cutting priorities in the Pact for the Mediterranean. 

The EU’s engagement in effective multilateralism is indispensable for maintaining peace, 
prosperity, security, and the respect of human rights for all. The EU will continue to actively 
participate in and support the revitalisation of the Commission on the Status of Women, and 
continue to champion gender equality within other relevant UN human rights bodies. 

In line with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, prioritising gender equality will be key 
to  the  efforts  of  the  Commission  services  and  the  EEAS  to  promote  peace  against  a  global 
backdrop of rising insecurity and conflicts. A renewed EU Action Plan on Women, Peace 
and Security will be for endorsement by the Political and Security Committee in 2027. 
The EU will continue to systematically integrate the Women, Peace and Security agenda into 
its Security and Defence Partnerships. 

The  Commission  remains  committed  to  gender-responsive,  principled  and  needs-based 
humanitarian  aid  and  to  assisting  victims  of  gender-based  violence  in  humanitarian 
emergencies, including those experiencing intersectional discrimination. The Commission will 
launch, in 2026, a dedicated new flagship initiative – SHIELD (Sexual and Reproductive 
Health in Emergencies and Life in Dignity) – focused on improving access to SRHR and 
supporting survivors of gender-based violence. This commitment will be anchored  in the 

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forthcoming Communication on Humanitarian Aid. The Commission will also evaluate the 
EU humanitarian aid gender policy with a view to updating it.  

In addition, the promotion of gender equality is a core aspect of the Commission’s work 
with  candidate  countries  and  potential  candidates,  in  line  with  the  ‘fundamentals  first’ 
approach set out in the 2020 revised enlargement methodology. The Commission will continue 
to assess the alignment of enlargement partners’ legislation with the EU gender equality acquis 
and  relevant  international  standards,  and  provide  support  to  ensure  full  implementation. 
Furthermore,  in  the  framework  of  the  Eastern  Partnership,  the  EU  will  continue  to  support 
partner countries in promoting gender equality.  Such priorities will continue to be reflected in 
the EU’s financial support, notably through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) 
III and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI). 

Finally,  gender  equality  remains  an  inherent  part  of  the  EU’s  trade  policy.  The 
Commission  will  continue  to  integrate  gender  equality  provisions  in  trade  agreements.  In 
countries benefitting from the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences, the Commission will 
keep monitoring compliance with international human rights conventions. The Commission, 
together  with  the  International Trade  Centre,  will  also  publish  a  practical  guide  for  policy-
makers on integrating a gender lens in trade policies in early 2027. 

In view of their impact on the external relations of the EU, relevant actions proposed in this 
section will be carried out in cooperation with the EEAS, within the exercise of its functions. 

Key actions: 
✓  Launch the Gender Action Plan IV (2028-2034); 
✓  Launch the EU Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2028-2034); 
✓  Launch SHIELD (Sexual and Reproductive Health in Emergencies and Life in Dignity) – 
focused on access to SRHR and supporting survivors of gender-based violence (2026). 

4.  Conclusion 

With this Strategy, the Commission commits to remaining a beacon for gender equality in a 
rapidly changing world. While gender equality is under increasing pressure in many countries, 
the Commission will continue to take concrete steps to advance it. EU citizens support gender 
equality  as  beneficial  for  society.  Achieving  a  gender-equal  society  will  remain  the 
Commission’s aim, as expressed in the Roadmap for Women’s Rights. With this Strategy, the 
Commission pledges to take the lead in promoting the Roadmap’s principles, both within the 
EU and in its external action. It will also ensure the gender equality and non-discrimination 
acquis is fully transposed and implemented across the EU. 

Gender equality will only be achieved if everyone mobilises together: this Strategy is therefore 
also a renewed invitation to all allies to work together for gender equality. Concrete and 
sustained progress requires cooperation across EU institutions and Member States, with social 

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partners and women’s rights organisations. The Commission will work internationally with all 
partners committed to gender equality, countries outside the EU, including candidate countries 
and potential candidates for EU accession, and international organisations. 

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