Brussels – In the face of a disturbing trend—in the EU and the rest of the world—to call into question some of the achievements of the struggle for women’s rights, the European Commission reaffirms its commitment to “fully realising an equal society in Europe.” On the eve of March 8, the International Women’s Rights Day, the EU Executive’s Head of Equality, Hadja Lahbib, unveiled a new Roadmap to promote the gender equality agenda.
According to numbers available at the European level, even in 2025 “one in three women in the EU will experience physical or sexual violence,” Lahbib recalled. But the problem is even broader than that: in different parts of the world, and to some degree in some member countries as well, we are witnessing “a downsizing of sexual and reproductive rights and an attack on diversity and inclusion policies,” the EU commissioner admitted.This contrasts the progress made in the last five years at the EU level through the implementation of the 2020-2025 gender equality strategy: new rules on pay transparency, work-life balance for equal caring responsibilities, and gender balance on company boards, and against the most odious phenomenon of all, violence on women, against which the EU has committed itself by ratifying the Istanbul convention and adopting the first-ever directive on fighting violence against women.
In the policy guidelines of her second term, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, pledged to draft a new strategy for gender equality. Von der Leyen herself wanted to give a strong signal already in the composition of her college of commissioners, asking member countries to propose two candidates, one man and one woman, so that she could ensure a gender balance in the EU executive. The capitals did not listen to her, and indeed a college composed of 16 men and 11 women is not exactly the best calling card. But, staying in the political sphere, it is still slightly more than the average female presence in member state parliaments, which according to Eurostat occupy exactly one-third of the total number of seats.
“Societies in which women and men are treated equally are better, fairer, and more effective. So let’s tap into the vast reservoir of talent and skills of everyone, men and women,” the EU leader said as she hailed the new roadmap, which will need to accelerate the reduction of employment and wage gaps between men and women, combat discriminatory norms and stereotypes, and solve the equation whereby women are still overrepresented in lower-paid positions and underrepresented in decision-making roles. The ambitious goals outlined by Lahbib will feed into the strategy for the next five years. From the absence of gender-based violence, to be achieved through prevention and legislation that finally defines rape based on lack of consent, to achieving the “highest standards of health,” which means ensuring women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as promoting gender-sensitive medical research, clinical trials, diagnoses, and treatments.
The Belgian liberal highlighted the need to promote financial literacy among women and girls, as a means of economic empowerment, and the equitable sharing of care responsibilities between women and men. The EU will seek to “encourage” girls and women to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) while promoting engagement of boys and men in education, health, and welfare. Indeed, the gender gap in science graduates is present throughout Europe: women make up about 39 per cent of STEM graduates in Italy, but only 26 per cent in Germany. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, the EU could increase GDP per capita by up to 3 per cent by closing the gap in STEM jobs. The roadmap then includes addressing the representation gap at all levels of public and political life, and ensuring institutional mechanisms that guarantee women’s rights and sustainable funding for gender equality policies and women’s rights organizations.
Tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of women and men across Europe will take to the streets as they do every year to march for gender equality. While some can no longer trust their governments, the signal given by Commissioner Lahbib is a positive one: the Commission will not abandon its commitment to women’s rights.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
