What changed

B100410/2025

B100409/2025

European Parliament resolution on the declaration of principles for a gender-equal society

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Articles 2, 3 and 21 of the Treaty on European Union, which affirm respect for human dignity, equality and human rights, and to Article 5 thereof on subsidiarity and proportionality,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 March 2025 entitled ‘A Roadmap for Women’s Rights’ (COM(2025)0097) and its annex entitled ‘Declaration of principles for a gender-equal society’,

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Articles 10, 11, 20, 21 and 23,

– having regard to the report of 14 July 2025 of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences entitled ‘The different manifestations of violence against women and girls in the context of surrogacy’,

– having regard to the question to theEuropean CommissionConvention on declaration pf principles for a gender-equal society (O-0000/2024Human –Rights B10XXXX/2025),(ECHR),

– having regard to the question to the Commission on declaration of principles for a gender-equal society (O-000024/2025 – B10XXXX/2025),

– having regard to Rules 142(5) and 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas equality before the law is a foundational principle of constitutional democracy and the rule of law;

A. whereas equality between men and women is a core value of the EU and whereas the right to equal treatment is a fundamental right recognised in the Treaty on European Union, in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and are essential for its further development;

B. whereas men and women are equal in dignity and rights, although the law may acknowledge relevant distinctions provided they pursue legitimate aims and remain proportionate;

B. whereas the European Parliament is fully committed to prohibiting discrimination and to promoting equality in the EU’s legislation and policies;

C. whereas the Charterwomen ofin FundamentalEurope Rightsface prohibitsnew discriminationthreats onrelated groundsto includingtheir sexidentity andas affirmswomen, equalityand betweenthe womenexploitation and mencommodification inof alltheir areas;bodies;

D. whereas respect for pluralism and freedom of thought, conscience, expression and association is indispensable to a free and democratic society;

D. whereas women’s safety is still threatened, both in the private sphere and in public spaces; whereas non-EU nationals account for a significant proportion of sexual assaults against women;

E. whereas parents bear the primary responsibility for the upbringing and education of their children, and the role of the state is at most supportive and never directive;

E. whereas demography is a major challenge for the future of the Union; whereas the birth rate in the European Union is one of the lowest in the world;

1. Underlines that all persons, male and female, are equal in dignity and rights before the law, in accordance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Treaties;

F. whereas women perform the majority of tasks related to the upbringing of young children, in addition to pursuing their professional careers;

2. Recalls that equality is best understood as fairness of opportunity and respect for individual merit rather than enforced parity of outcome or discriminatory quotas;

G. whereas the ECHR enshrines the right of parents to ensure the education and teaching of their children in accordance with their religious, philosophical and educational convictions;

3. Acknowledges the biological distinctions between men and women and insists that these differences must be respected in policy areas such as sports, safety, healthcare and education;

1. Reiterates and reaffirms its commitment to women’s rights and gender equality;

4. Stresses that legal distinctions based on sex are permissible only when pursuing legitimate public interests and must always respect the principles of necessity and proportionality;

2. Takes note of the declaration annexed to the Commission communication of 7 March 2025; welcomes the overall objectives set out in it; regrets that mothers are not better supported in this declaration; deplores the encouragement of quota systems and affirmative action policies, which are unfair to both women and men; considers that the declaration does not address essential issues to achieve its objectives, such as the full recognition of motherhood, the contribution of motherhood to society and complementarity between men and women, instead the declaration is reduced to the management of domestic tasks;

5. Insists that parents bear the primary responsibility for the upbringing and education of their children; stresses the indispensable role of the family as the cornerstone of a stable and free society, supporting both mothers and fathers in their parental responsibilities;

3. Calls on the Commission and the Council to condemn all forms of commercial exploitation of women’s bodies and motherhood, in particular surrogacy;

6. Reiterates that the freedoms of thought, conscience, expression and association are essential to pluralism and indispensable as safeguards against compelled belief in matters relating to sex, gender or family life; recalls that there are two genders;

4. Calls on the Member States to take measures to ensure the safety of women, particularly regarding border protection;

7. Condemns all forms of violence, coercion and exploitation against both women and men, and calls on the Member States to take effective measures to prevent such acts, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators in accordance with the rule of law;

5. Calls on the Member States to put in place early childhood care policies to help women who wish to have children do so in good conditions;

8. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all equality policies are consistent with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, respecting national competences and cultural diversity within the EU;

6. Recalls that freedom of education is a fundamental principle of the European Union, and is essential to equality;

9. Reaffirms that a gender-equal society is one in which men and women enjoy equal dignity, liberty and opportunity under the law; underlines that a gender-equal society is best achieved not by erasing distinctions between men and women, but by respecting their equal dignity and complementary roles in social and civic life;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission.

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.