Sittings · Document
On discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024, Section III – Commission
Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality · Rapporteur: Raquel García HermidaVan Der Walle
This opinion calls for integrating gender equality into the EU budget and discharge process, improving gender budgeting and data, and increasing funds for gender equality and anti-violence measures.¶¶¶ It urges swift implementation of the directive on combating violence against women, a European definition of femicide, and protection for LGBTIQ+ people and women's rights organisations.¶¶¶ It stresses that sexual and reproductive health and rights are fundamental and calls for support for survivors of gender-based violence in conflicts.¶
Key points
- Calls for gender budgeting at all stages of the budgetary process and for the Commission to integrate gender mainstreaming from programme design.¶
- Regrets that the Commission's methodology for tracking gender expenditure is uncertain in 20% of cases and urges improved assessment tools and mandatory gender impact assessments.¶
- Calls for gender-sensitive competitive impact assessments in EU programmes and full integration of gender mainstreaming into the next MFF.¶
- Highlights insufficient gender-disaggregated data and calls for comprehensive, comparable data collection as a priority.¶
- Calls on the Commission to analyse what percentage of the EU budget should support gender equality and to set objectives and performance indicators in future legislation.¶
- Calls for a dedicated budget line for the Daphne programme and a stable financing framework, regretting the merger of Creative Europe and CERV in the proposed MFF.¶
- Urges Member States to implement the directive on combating violence against women, increase shelters per Istanbul Convention quotas, and calls for a European definition of femicide.¶
- Calls for budget for measures against LGBTIQ+-phobia, full recognition of trans women, and protection for LGBTIQ+ persons, urging the Council to continue work on the anti-discrimination directive.¶
- Stresses that civil society organisations must remain eligible for EU funding for advocacy, demonstrations, and judicial actions.¶
- Highlights the importance of initiatives fostering women's participation in the labour market, entrepreneurship, and leadership.¶
- Urges the Commission not to fund entities that undermine women's rights and to keep funding accessible for women's rights organisations, especially in high-risk contexts.¶
- Reiterates that SRHR are fundamental rights, calls for budgetary support for safe and legal abortion, and condemns sexual violence in conflicts, urging support for survivors.¶
Who is affected
- The Commission, which must improve gender budgeting, data collection, and funding criteria.¶¶¶
- Member States, which must implement the violence directive and protect LGBTIQ+ persons.¶¶
- Women's rights organisations and civil society, which need accessible funding.¶¶
- Victims of gender-based violence, including women and girls in conflict zones, who need shelters and support services.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- Gender Equality Index 2025 score for the EU is 63.4, with a 10.5-point increase since 2010.¶
- One in three women experience violence; globally 140 women and girls die at the hands of a partner or relative every day.¶
- Uncertainty in 20% of cases regarding gender impact in the Commission's tracking methodology.¶
- One family place per 10,000 heads of population as per the Istanbul Convention.¶
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text and ¶ links to the paragraph it rests on. Check the text itself before relying on it.