A long journey to equality
Achieving gender equality is a core principle and non-negotiable objective for the European Union. Indeed, we are a global leader: 14 of the top 20 countries worldwide on gender equality are EU countries. But there is still a lot of work to be done.
Women remain under-represented in management positions while at home they continue to carry a heavier workload than men. And more must be done so that all people, in all their diversity, are free from violence and stereotype.
To change this, the European Commission has put forward a range of initiatives and proposals to help pave the way to a society in which all people can truly say they are able to live and thrive with equal opportunity.
Gender-based violence
More than 3,000 women are killed each year in Europe by partners or family members, and countless more are harmed and harassed.
Violence against women takes many forms, including physical, sexual, or psychological violence, as well as economic abuse and exploitation. It has intensified in different settings, including the workplace and online spaces, and has been exacerbated by post-pandemic effects, conflicts, and climate change.
Sources: UN Women, Eurostat, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
Types of violence against women include:
- intimate partner violence
- sexual violence
- femicide
- human trafficking
- female genital mutilation
- online or technology-facilitated violence
- child, forced marriages
In 2022, the Commission proposed new legislation to ensure a minimum level of protection against these forms of violence across the EU, regardless of whether they happened online or offline. The European Parliament and the Member States reached a political agreement on the Commission's proposal on 6 February 2024.
In addition, the EU completed the ratification procedure of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, the ‘Istanbul Convention’.
The Istanbul Convention for the EU entered into force on 1 October 2023. This means that the EU is now bound by ambitious and comprehensive standards to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence.
Campaign: Fighting cyber violence
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 2022, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) launched the #SafeSpaces campaign. In collaboration with graffiti artists, NGOs, and the UN Women’s Brussels office, they unveiled three murals in three European cities, portraying three types of cyber violence against women and girls: cyber stalking, cyber bullying, and online gender-based hate speech. The campaign is based on a simple truth - we all want to feel safe at home, school and in public - but are we as safe as we think we are? Is the woman or girl next to us safe?
Inequalities in the labour market
Women continue to be over-represented in low paid jobs and under-represented in decision-making positions. In addition, women in the EU are still earning less than men, and as they get older, this gender pay gap increases even more.
Statistics show that certain jobs are mostly held by women.
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In the EU, 95% of domestic cleaners and helpers are women
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Women account for the majority of the teaching (72%) and healthcare workforce (78%)
Sources: EIGE, Eurostat (teaching stats, healthcare force figures)
Gender stereotypes are deeply engrained in our culture and are a root cause of gender inequalities.
EU campaign: Tackling gender sterotypes
What gender instantly comes to mind when you think of a certain toy, a job, a sport, or even a colour? Gender stereotypes and biases are built into people’s minds from as early as childhood – we may not even be aware of them, but they affect us all. Gender stereotypes for women and men, girls and boys, can limit our abilities and aspirations to choose a field of study or training, pursue a professional career, and make simple life choices, like picking a hobby. It is time to rethink our perspectives and question gender stereotypes!
Work-life balance
Research shows that at home, women continue to carry the brunt of caring and domestic responsibilities compared to men.
The unequal division of caring responsibilities and household tasks can reduce women’s opportunities to be in employment, or prompt women to seek part-time jobs that allow more time flexibility, at the expense of lower wages. According to Eurostat, at the end of 2022, 48% of women in elementary occupations were part-time workers compared to 19% of men.
To tackle this, the EU has adopted a range of directives that introduce minimum rights of citizens to combine work and private life, promoting a better share of caring responsibilities between women and men.
Towards achieving full gender equality
The EU has not yet achieved full gender equality, but progress has been made, as shown by the 2023 Gender Equality Index. For the first time, the EU achieved 70.2 points (out of 100) – the highest year-on-year rise since the index was first introduced in 2013. The aim is to reach a score of 100, which would 100 points on the Index mean the EU has reached full equality between women and men.
The Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025
To make significant progress towards a gender-equal Europe, the Commission adopted the Gender Equality Strategy in 2020.
The strategy strives to:
- end gender-based violence
- challenge gender stereotypes
- close gender gaps in the labour market
- achieve equal participation across different sectors of the economy
- achieve gender balance in economic and political decision-making
This strategy sets out a vision, policy objectives, and actions to make concrete progress on gender equality in Europe. Every year the Commission puts out a report on gender equality in the EU which reviews where the EU and its Member States stand on gender equality, highlighting the EU’s achievements in these five key areas.
So far, under this strategy, the EU has:
- adopted binding pay transparency measures
- adopted a directive on gender balance in corporate boards
- acceded to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
- proposed a European Care Strategy and new targets on early childhood education and care to enhance women’s labour market participation.
The Commission has also:
- put forward a proposal for a directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence
- established a network on the prevention of gender-based and domestic violence
- carried out a campaign to challenge gender stereotypes
Fostering progress
According to the latest report on gender equality, published in 2023, a key challenge ahead will be to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities to benefit from the green and digital transitions. Currently, women and girls are largely left out of the opportunities presented by this sector, mainly due to deeply rooted gender stereotypes which discourage them from pursuing a career in science and technology.
To make progress, it is important to include a gender equality perspective in all policy areas, at all levels, and at all stages of policymaking to address specific needs, challenges, and opportunities for men and women. It will also be crucial to promote the participation of women in the upcoming 2024 European Parliament elections as the presence of women in legislature and leadership is essential for democracy to reflect a more accurate representation of society and for improved policy-making.
The Commission is also investing in a gender equal future. Gender equality-related projects are supported and funded through several EU programmes, such as the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) and EU cohesion funding programmes.
Project: Gender equality in research
Despite a long history of scientific achievements, women remain acutely under-represented in scientific research and academia. By promoting the use of Gender Equality Plans, the EU-funded SUPERA project aimed to address the inequalities, stereotypes and discrimination that contribute to this shortfall. As a result, several institutions across the EU have already started to close their gender gap.
EU countries are required to comply with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights when implementing EU law. Fundamental rights are also usually protected by your country’s constitution. If you feel that your equality rights are being breached, see how you can file a complaint at national level.