Debate: The gender dimension in cohesion policy
Date: MONDAY, 7 JUNE 2021
Speaker: Virginijus Sinkevičius
Language: EN

One of the saddest features of crisis – and the current one is no exception – is the aggravation of old inequalities. We see this at this regional level; we see this at the social level; and we see it in terms of gender. On two key front lines in this battle, the home front and the health care front, women have borne the brunt of the battle, because they are the majority of home workers and they are the majority of health care workers. From childcare to layoffs, from health risks to domestic violence, women have struggled and women have suffered. In terms of gender equality, hard fought gains – the work of decades – risk being rolled back. So this report is very timely and I thank the Regional Development Committee (REGI) and the rapporteur, Ms Monika Vana, for their excellent report, and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) for their opinion. As the report notes, cohesion policy plays a crucial role in gender equality. It plays a crucial role in two critical ways. First, by cohesion investments, we invest in better quality childcare and we promote access to that childcare. We invest in support for female entrepreneurs, female researchers and female innovators. We ensure equal access to upskilling and training, and we invest in other services from public transport to IT, to health care, education and other social services – essential services, which are particularly crucial for women. Zooming out from these targeted actions, these investments will help ensure that women participate equally in the Green and Digital Transitions. Secondly, we support gender equality by our process. Gender equality is a crosscutting principle for all cohesion policy investments. You are right, gender equality is not a competing objective, but a shared goal. It must be taken into account at every step, from the preparation of programmes to project selection and implementation, to programme monitoring and evaluation. And bodies fighting for fundamental rights, for non-discrimination and for women, are key partners at each step of the process. So by investment and a comprehensive process, we support gender equality. But we agree with the report’s recommendation that more must be done. Already, in the new programme starting this year, we are reinforcing requirements. First, it is now a precondition of funding, what we call an enabling condition, that projects respect the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, including the requirement on gender equality. Second, there is now a system for tracking gender-related expenditure across cohesion policy funding, and this will allow for better monitoring of gender equality in our investments. The report also points to a lack of knowledge among stakeholders, and the Commission continues to build capacity in this area. We organised technical seminars with managing authorities, and we communicate with stakeholders on concrete actions they can take to promote gender equality. So the Commission is providing a comprehensive framework to promote gender equality in cohesion policy. But EU funding alone cannot do everything for gender equality and I call on Member States to make the maximum use of every element of this framework. We in the Commission will continue to support Member States: where a lack of capacity is a bottleneck, technical assistance is at their disposal. We will continue to do everything we can and to consult with this Parliament and work together in this crucial area. I assure you of our commitment in programme preparation and beyond. We cannot allow women to be left behind in the recovery. We cannot lose a decade or more of hard-won gains in terms of equality, and we will not if we work together.