On the gender Equality Strategy 2025

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the Gender Equality Strategy 2025

(2024/2125(INI))

– having regard to Articles 2 and 3 of the Treaty on European Union,

– having regard to Articles 8, 10, 19, 79, 83, 153 and 157 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

– having regard to Articles 21 and 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

– having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights proclaimed and signed by Parliament, the Council and the Commission on 17 November 2017, and to the Commission communication of 4 March 2021 entitled ‘The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan’ (COM(2021)0102),

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 18 December 1979,

– having regard to the UN Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 15 September 1995, and to the outcomes of its review conferences,

– having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of 21 October 2015 and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out therein, in particular SDG 5, ‘Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’, and the targets and indicators relating to it,

– having regard to the International Labour Organization Equal Remuneration Convention of 29 June 1951, and to the International Labour Organization Violence and Harassment Convention of 21 June 2019,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) of 11 May 2011,

– having regard to the EEC and EU directives adopted from 1975 onwards on various aspects of equal treatment for women and men (Directive 79/7/EEC, Directive 86/613/EEC, Directive 92/85/EEC, Directive 2004/113/EC, Directive 2006/54/EC, Directive 2010/41/EU),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2022/2381 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 November 2022 on improving the gender balance among directors of listed companies and related measures,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1500 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment and equal opportunities between women and men in matters of employment and occupation, and amending Directives 2006/54/EC and 2010/41/EU,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/1712 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2020 entitled ‘A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0152),

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 25 November 2020 entitled ‘EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – an ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action’ (JOIN(2020)0017) and the accompanying joint staff working document of 25 November 2020 entitled ‘Objectives and Indicators to frame the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III (2021-25)’ (SWD(2020)0284),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 March 2025 entitled ‘A Roadmap for Women’s Rights’ (COM(2025)0097),

– having regard to its resolution of 13 February 2019 on experiencing a backlash in women’s rights and gender equality in the EU,

– having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and other measures to combat gender-based violence,

– having regard to its resolution of 30 January 2020 on the gender pay gap,

– having regard to its resolution of 23 October 2020 on Gender Equality in EU’s foreign and security policy,

– having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the EU Strategy for Gender Equality,

– having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on closing the digital gender gap: women’s participation in the digital economy,

– having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2021 on challenges ahead for women’s rights in Europe: more than 25 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action,

– having regard to its resolution of 10 June 2021 on promoting gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers,

– having regard to its resolution of 24 June 2021 on the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health,

– having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on identifying gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU,

– having regard to its resolution of 14 December 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence,

– having regard to its resolution of 15 December 2021 on equality between women and men in the European Union in 2018-2020,

– having regard to its resolution of 10 March 2022 on the EU Gender Action Plan III,

– having regard to its resolution of 3 May 2022 on reaching women’s economic independence through entrepreneurship and self-employment,

– having regard to its resolution of 5 July 2022 towards a common European action on care,

– having regard to its resolution of 5 July 2022 on women’s poverty in Europe,

– having regard to its resolution of 1 June 2023 on sexual harassment in the EU and MeToo evaluation,

– having regard to its resolution of 11 April 2024 on including the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter,

– having regard to its recommendation of 19 December 2024 to the Council concerning the EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women,

– having regard to the report of 25 November 2024 by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), Eurostat and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) entitled ‘EU gender-based violence survey: key results’,

– having regard to the Gender Equality Index 2024, published by the EIGE on 10 December 2024,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A10-0000/2025),

A. whereas the right to equal treatment is a fundamental right recognised in the Treaties and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and is essential for its further development;

B. whereas gender equality is a core value of the EU, a fundamental right and key principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and an essential condition for progress;

C. whereas gender-based violence is still a globally widespread phenomenon, including in the EU, and has severe consequences for victims and society;

D. whereas everyone in the EU has the right of access to the highest standards of physical and mental health;

E. whereas labour market disparities and a lack of fair working conditions and safety for women workers are still persistent across the EU, and the existing gender pay gap is, to a large extent, the consequence of the systematic undervaluation of work carried out in female-dominated sectors; whereas therefore the issue of ‘equal pay for work of equal value’ needs to be tackled to close the gender pay gap;

F. whereas emerging digital technologies are a risk factor for gender equality and could perpetuate and deepen existing patterns of gender inequalities, discrimination and violence against women and girls;

G. whereas across the EU, caregiving responsibilities are disproportionately carried out by women, and this contributes to inequalities;

H. whereas research shows that women are under-represented at all levels of economic and political decision-making worldwide, and that achieving gender parity in political life is a distant prospect;

I. whereas many women and vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, people who are racialised, people from ethnic, minority or migrant backgrounds, older people and LGBTIQ+ people, face intersecting inequalities and discrimination in the EU;

J. whereas the Roadmap for Women’s Rights reaffirms the EU’s strong commitment to safeguarding and advancing gender equality and women’s rights, outlining the principles and long-term vision for progress on which the post-2025 Gender Equality Strategy will rely;

1. Calls on the Commission to present an ambitious Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030 with concrete, tangible legislative and non-legislative measures in the key areas outlined below;

Gender-based violence

2. Calls on the Commission to identify gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed under Article 83(1) TFEU to effectively combat all forms of violence against women and girls, which constitutes one of the most widespread fundamental rights violations in the EU;

3. Urges the Commission to recognise femicide as a distinct crime;

4. Calls on the Commission to monitor and encourage a swift transposition of Directive (EU) 2024/1385 on combating violence against women and domestic violence, and to present its recommendation on the prevention of harmful practices against women and girls;

5. Calls on the Commission to put forward EU legislation to criminalise rape on the basis of the absence of consent; reiterates that rape is not only a violation of women’s fundamental rights and bodily autonomy, but also a form of sexual exploitation of women and girls;

Comprehensive gender-responsive healthcare

6. Urges the Commission to ensure universal access to gender-responsive healthcare for women and girls;

7. Calls on the Commission to address, at EU level, the barriers to accessing healthcare for women in all their diversity;

8. Calls on the Commission to ensure full and equal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including the right to safe and legal abortion, for women and girls in all their diversity;

Gender equality and women’s empowerment in the world of work

9. Calls on the Commission to monitor and encourage a swift transposition of the directives on adequate minimum wages, pay transparency and women on boards;

10. Urges the Commission to develop guidelines allowing for an EU-wide definition and comparison of ‘the value of work’, and to swiftly set up gender-neutral job evaluation tools and criteria with the aim of better evaluating and more fairly remunerating work carried out in female-dominated sectors;

Women’s rights and gender equality in education, training and the digital sphere

11. Urges the Commission to ensure gender-inclusive access to all levels of education and to develop high-quality standards for educational materials promoting gender equality and dismantling gender stereotypes, including the promotion of comprehensive sexuality education and consent;

12. Calls on the Commission to develop and adopt a policy of zero tolerance in the digital environment with regard to all forms of gender-based violence, harmful behaviours and narratives that undermine and discredit women’s and girls’ online and offline expression, and to prioritise preventive measures and safeguards across all digital policy domains;

Reconciliation of private and professional life

13. Calls on the Commission to develop the European Care Strategy into a comprehensive European Care Deal, equipped with binding legislative and financial tools for investing in accessible, affordable and high-quality childcare and long-term care services;

14. Stresses the need to aim for an ’equal earner – equal carer’ model in the EU, and to revise and adjust the Barcelona targets in this regard, and also to further develop the measures on maternity and paternity leave with the aim of achieving a more equal gender balance concerning care responsibilities;

Equal representation and political participation

15. Urges the Commission to enforce legislative gender quotas and zipping-based lists for all elections on the basis of gender parity, and to ensure institutional gender parity at all levels of decision-making;

Feminist foreign policy

16. Calls on the Commission to promote a foreign, security, trade and development policy that gives priority to gender equality following the principle of the three ‘R’s (rights, representation and resources);

Countering anti-gender movements

17. Urges the Commission to develop a comprehensive tool to monitor and counter democratic backsliding and backsliding in women’s rights, which are intrinsically linked, and to ensure that gender equality remains a priority across the EU;

Cross-cutting means of achieving gender equality

18. Reiterates that all efforts to achieve progress in gender equality must be made with full respect of the principles of intersectionality and gender mainstreaming;

19. Calls on the Commission to ensure and further develop the application of gender mainstreaming in its structures, methods and tools, and to ensure that the gender perspective is integrated into all of the Commission’s proposals, including all budgetary procedures;

20. Urges the Commission to use and further develop intersectionality as a cross-cutting principle in the new Gender Equality Strategy;

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21. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Gender equality is one of the core values of the European Union and, along with women’s rights; they are an indispensable and indivisible part of human rights. They present a basis and purpose of the rule of law at national, European and international levels, as well as the most adequate and relevant indicators of health and resilience of our democracies.

In the current geo-political context and global processes, it is now more important than ever to put forward an ambitious agenda for women’s rights and gender equality and thus this report comes at a crucial moment for the European Union. The new European Gender Equality Strategy post-2025 must uphold the standards set in earlier years and move forward with a comprehensive strive towards achieving gender equality on all levels and in all areas, for all persons without discrimination. Additionally, the new Strategy must take decisive action on implementation of previously adopted legislation.

The new Strategy will come in a time when the anti-gender and anti-democratic movements are on the raise and as such, the text, which will be put forward by the Commission, must reflect a clear institutional dedication and concrete commitments to protecting and further developing the framework for gender equality and thus safeguarding our democracy. There is no democracy without an equal and strong participation and engagement of women and girls and those who strive to dismantle our institutional framework are those attacking women’s rights. These agendas are interlinked and as such require a European based response. Such a response must be made throughout all policy areas, on all levels with clear gender mainstreaming across our work.

Today’s world has changed gravely from the times in which the last Gender Equality Strategywas adopted and new areas must be adequately dealt with: from violence and harassment against women and girls in the digital sphere and the world of work to the need for a peace-building feminist foreign policy and the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights, including access to safe and legal abortion, as fundamental human rights. We must also include an intersectional approach into our policies as we are well aware that certain groups, e.g. migrant women, LGBTIQ persons, Roma women, women with disabilities in the EU are faced with multiple intersecting forms of discrimination. It is on us to address them all adequately and swiftly.

The recently presented Roadmap for Women’s’ Rights is a step in the right direction acknowledging many issues we are facing today when speaking of women’s rights but it must be taken a step forward within the new GE Strategy with concrete, legislative and non-legislative measures aimed at creating a truly gender-equal society.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is, per the definition of the European Institute for Gender Equality, any type of violence based on someone’s gender from physical to emotional to financial to reproductive violence and while anyone can be a victim of GBV, women are overwhelmingly the victims. The latest Gender Equality Index Thematic Focus dealt specifically with GBV and the data shows that 31 % of women in the EU have experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15. This shows that, although legislative and non-legislative progress has been made in the EU, GBV remains one of the key challenges that prevents a true gender-equal society, is still very much prevalent across the Union and that it needs to be addressed further on the European level and clearly defined as an EU crime. The recent data shows that the implementation of existing legislation, e.g. the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence is a pressing issue and must be monitored and well guided. There is also a need to re-frame and further develop certain aspect of previous legislative work, such as the consent-based definitions, adding rape to the list of EU crimes, as well as recognising femicide as an offence distinct from homicide but also highlight some of the less known categories of GBV, e.g. obstetric violence and denial of abortion care. We also want to see progress on the Harmful practices Recommendations.

Everyone in the European Union has the right of access to the highest standards of physical and mental health and a high level of human health protection must be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities. The right to access healthcare is enshrined in Principle 16 of the European Pillar of Social Rights and in the Action Plan we encourage Member States to tackle health inequalities. The Gender Equality Index shows slow progress in gender equality in health, with the shares of women and men who perceive their health as very good or good falling in two thirds of Member States and many conditions sensitive to sex and gender lack sufficient research, funding and resources, including prioritisation.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are one of the key issues in the discussion on human rights and they are inseparable from the realisation of the fundamental right to health, as well as the achievement of gender equality and the elimination of gender-based violence. A person’s bodily autonomy and the right to decide about one’s body and life is the absolute precondition for reaching gender equality. Violations of SRHR constitute breaches of human rights. All challenges related to SRHR faced within Member States constitute common European challenges and this is a human rights issue as well as a health issue, which must be addressed by a unified approach. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises the need for a universal access to SRH as a component of the right to health. We aim to have a Gender Equality Strategy that ensures universal access to comprehensive, age-appropriate and evidence-based sexuality and relationship education, a range of high-quality, accessible, affordable modern contraceptive methods and supplies, family planning counselling, fertility treatments and information on contraception, as well as free, safe and legal abortion care.

The situation in the European labour market demands an urgent and comprehensive approach in order to overcome the existing inequalities. One in three women in the EU does not have a paid job and the vast majority of part-time jobs in the Union are held by women. Women’s work has traditionally been undervalued and the gender segregation is still significant, with women over-represented in less profitable sectors. Women’s empowerment in the world of work is a crucial step when talking about social and economic development and it is a precondition of a strong competitive economy. A swift transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive is therefore essential with an emphasises on looking into ways to broaden its scope. Additionally, both the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages and Women on Boards must be implemented. This report recognises that the main reason for the gender pay gap is the systematic lower pay in female-dominated sectors (care, healthcare, education, retail) compared to wages in male dominated sectors, which also leads that these sectors are not attractive for men reinforcing harmful norms and stereotypes. There is a pressing need to develop guidelines allowing the definition and comparison of “the value of work” and to set up gender-neutral job evaluation tools and criteria with the aim to better evaluate and fairer remunerate work in female dominated sectors. The issue of safety at work, both in the work spaces as well as in the context of remote work, must be addressed.

Education and training are essential for gender equality and for everyone’s ability to adapt to labour market changes and tertiary education is vital for quality job opportunities. In the European Union today, horizontal and vertical gender segregation in education is still persistent and it is detrimental for gender equality. As such, granting full and unobstructed access to education, training and supporting women’s participation in STEM education and all other areas and careers are crucial. It is estimated that there are 8 million ICT specialists in the EU but only 17 % of them are women. Globally, only 22 % of AI professionals are women. The importance of these subjects and related jobs is growing and we must ensure that women are not left behind and that they are safe in the digital sphere, including when addressing the issue of algorithms and other current tools. Being aware that the current private ownership structure and key players of the big online platforms have created an online world harmful to women’s rights and gender equality, we must be able to tackle this and protect all women and girls across the EU. Also, men must be encouraged to enter female dominated sectors, by better working conditions and fair pay. The new Gender Equality Strategy must develop a framework, which will create safe spaces for girls and boys to learn, educating parents and teachers about gender stereotypes and setting up positive women and feminist men role models.

Care responsibilities for children and other dependents are a significant constraint in female labour market participation. Unpaid care responsibilities keep around 7,7 million women in the EU from participating in the labour market, compared to only 450.000 men. At the household level, an uneven division of unpaid care work between women and men constrains women’s equal labour force participation and career advancement. This situation is harmful to achieving a truly just work-life balance framework and the new Strategy has to address these issues. Our aim is to work towards reaching an “Equal carer – equal earner model” in society. We therefore need to closely monitor, evaluate and, if needed, further develop the Work-Life-balance directive but there is also a need to put forward a European Care Deal, based on the European Care Strategy, with binding legislation and financing from EU level. Women have been taking the burden of care in different categories and we need to equalize the playing field on a European level.

Diverse groups take better, more inclusive and more sustainable decisions. Only the decisions that consider everyone’s view are fit to pave the way for a future that is better for all and women in decision-making positions are key role models and help shape the framework for an equal future. We need to address the gaps in the decision-making on the political, as well as the economic level while also tackling institutional inequalities preventing women from realising their full potential.

In the times of rising global conflicts and uncertainty, EU foreign, defence and security policy must be a feminist one with the achievement of women’s rights and gender equality as one of the horizontal principles and key goals. In our external policies, we must be able to reflect a peace-building mission and one of the prerequisites for this is the equal participation of female leaders and stakeholders. The agenda of promoting and protecting women’s rights, as well as the support for women activists, educators and leaders in conflict zones must be a priority in all EU conflict response strategies as well as any crisis-response tools and mechanisms. The principle of the 3 R’s (rights, representation and resources) must be applied to all external actions of the EU.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:

Entity and/or person

European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) European Network

Center for Reproductive Rights

European Women’s Lobby

Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS)

European Institute for Gender Equality

B.a.B.e. Budi aktivna. Budi emancipiran.

Fertility Europe

Center for Women Victims of War (ROSA)

The Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST) of the European Commission

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

European Public Service Union (EPSU)

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.