Debate: Equality between women and men in the European Union in -
Date: MONDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2021
Speaker: Helena Dalli
Language: EN

I thank the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) for this important report and for your efforts towards a gender-equal economy, eradication of gender—based violence, equal access to health education and for equality in everyday life. I welcome the efforts of the Portuguese and Slovenian presidencies in reaching an agreement for a general approach in Council last week on our first deliverable, the proposal for a directive on pay transparency. I look forward to the negotiations with the European Parliament and the upcoming French presidency. Valuing women’s work and contribution to the labour market is crucial for propelling inclusive economic growth, social cohesion and social justice and enhancing business productivity. None of this is possible if half of the talent, skills and workforce is left behind. In this context, I stress the relevance of fairness to the pressing existential threat to Europe and the world posed by climate change and environmental degradation. I hear your concerns regarding the Green Deal, and I assure you that the gender dimension is not forgotten. Fairness and solidarity are defining principles of the European Green Deal. The Union’s transition to climate neutrality by 2050 must be socially fair and inclusive in pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights. Gender mainstreaming in employment and social policies plays a key role in the fair transition. The pandemic highlighted women’s enormous contribution to schooling, care and household tasks when formal care and social service infrastructures were down. Moreover, their role in low paid but essential sectors such as the care sector has been proved indispensable. This is why it is crucial to ensure that our post—pandemic recovery policy properly recognises and values women’s contribution to our economy and societies. The recovery is an opportunity to improve gender equality. I thank the European Parliament in particular for your support on mainstreaming gender equality in the Recovery and Resilience Fund. The Commission has adopted a delegated act, which was published at the end of the time period for objection of the European Parliament and the Council, which will enable us to identify specific gender equality actions financed under the Recovery and Resilience Fund. This Commission is fully committed to advance gender equality at the workplace. Improving childcare services across Member States is essential for halving the gender employment gap by 2030, as set by the action plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights. In 2022, the Commission will present a European care strategy, which will include a proposal for the revision of the Barcelona targets on childcare and measures to enhance long—term care. Moreover, investing in long—term care benefits the quality of life of those who need care, but also for care providers, both formal and informal care. The majority of care providers are women who might struggle to combine work with unpaid care duties. Next to this, many care jobs have poor working conditions. The Commission will also closely follow the transposition of the Work—Life Balance Directive, set for August 2022. But there can be no gender equality without a safe environment for women to work, go out or simply to live their lives. In the past four months, we reiterated the Commission’s key priority of tackling gender—based violence. Last week, the College adopted its initiative on the extension of the list of eurocrimes to hate speech and hate crime. This will complement the envisaged legislative initiative on violence against women and domestic violence, which we intend to present early next year. In parallel, and sharing the Parliament’s objective, we remain committed to the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention, still blocked in Council.