On the declaration of principles for a gender-equal society

B100409/2025

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

(2025/2780(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– 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 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 European Convention on Human Rights (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 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 the European Parliament is fully committed to prohibiting discrimination and to promoting equality in the EU’s legislation and policies;

C. whereas women in Europe face new threats related to their identity as women, and the exploitation and commodification of their bodies;

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 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;

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

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;

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

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;

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

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

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;

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

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