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DRAFT REPORT (2026/2124(INI))

On a European Parliament recommendation to the Council concerning the EU priorities for the 71st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women

FEMM-PR-792143

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality · Rapporteur: Giusi Princi

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This is a draft report by the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council on EU priorities for the 71st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, to be held in March 2027. The rapporteur recommends that the Council reaffirm the EU's commitment to gender equality, ensure Parliament's involvement in the EU position, and support UN Women. The draft asks the Council to push for closing gender pay and pension gaps, recognising unpaid care work, and improving women's access to land, credit, education and entrepreneurship. It calls for gender-responsive climate action, women's participation in climate governance, and integrating gender-based violence prevention into climate and humanitarian policies. It also asks for gender-responsive budgeting, disaggregated data collection, funding for women's rights organisations, and accountability for commitments made at the session.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament recommend that the Council adopt a clear, coherent and constructive EU position for the 71st session, covering gender equality, women's economic empowerment, climate action and accountability, with full involvement of Parliament.

Key points

  1. The Council should reaffirm the EU's commitment to gender equality and integrate women's rights into EU external action.
  2. Parliament and its Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality should be fully involved in deciding the EU position for the 71st session.
  3. The Council should pledge strong support for UN Women and reaffirm the EU's commitment to closing gender pay and pension gaps.
  4. Policies should address multiple and intersecting discrimination, with emphasis on women and girls with disabilities.
  5. The Council should work for stronger policies on access to land, credit, entrepreneurship and education, and call on UN member states to integrate gender-responsive strategies into education.
  6. The Council should promote gender-responsive social protection, close gender pay, earnings, employment and pension gaps, and combat occupational segregation and precarious employment.
  7. Unpaid domestic and care work should be recognised, reduced and redistributed, and women's economic independence promoted through equal access to employment, finance, digital tools and business networks.
  8. UN member states should eliminate discriminatory laws on land and housing and ensure women's equal participation in land governance and natural-resource management.
  9. The Council should support women entrepreneurs and cooperatives, and ensure equal access to education, training and digital connectivity, including in STEM and green jobs.
  10. The Council should promote gender-responsive labour market policies for the green and digital transitions and increase women's access to climate finance, energy, water, food systems and health services.
  11. The green transition should be just and gender-responsive, women should participate in climate governance and disaster risk reduction, and gender-based violence prevention should be integrated into climate and humanitarian policies.
  12. The Council should ensure continued health services including sexual and reproductive healthcare during disasters, promote disaggregated data, apply gender-responsive budgeting, fund women's rights organisations, and ensure accountability for commitments made at the 71st session.

Who is affected

  • The Council, which is asked to adopt the EU position and support the listed priorities at the 71st session.
  • Women and girls worldwide, particularly those in poverty, rural, remote, fragile or conflict-affected areas, who would benefit from the recommended policies.
  • Women's rights organisations, which the draft says should receive adequate and accessible funding.
  • UN member states, which are called on to integrate gender-responsive education strategies and eliminate discriminatory land laws.
  • UN Women, whose work the Council should strongly support and cooperate with on monitoring.

Figures and deadlines

  • less than half of women in agricultural households hold ownership of, or secure rights to, agricultural land in nearly 90 % of reporting countries
  • 71st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, set to take place in March 2027

Legal basis: Article 81(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union