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.
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. Most recently, it set out a long-term vision to advance women’s rights in a new Roadmap.
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.
1 in 3 womenglobally have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime
At least 2 women a weekare killed in the EU by an intimate partner of family member
32% of perpetratorsof sexual harassment in the EU come from the employment context
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.
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.
- In the EU, 95% of domestic cleaners and helpers are women
- 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.
Only 70.8%of women were in employment in 2024- 12%gender pay gap in 2023
34.8%management positions were held by women in 2023
EU campaign: Tackling gender stereotypes
#EndGenderStereotypes: Raising awareness about the role gender stereotypes play in society
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, in 2024, 46.6% of women in elementary occupations were part-time workers compared to 15.8% 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 2025 Gender Equality Index. The EU achieved 63.4 points (out of 100). The aim is to reach a score of 100, which would mean the EU has reached full equality between women and men.
Gender equality strategies
In 2026, the Commission adopted a renewed gender equality strategy 2026-2030, which will
- continue the fight against gender-based violence with an emphasis on fighting cyberviolence
- tackle the gender pay and pension gaps
- promote the highest standards of health and healthcare systems built for all
- take further steps to support women's equal and safe participation in politics
- continue to promote gender equality on the global stage
The new strategy builds on the progress achieved by strategy 2020-2025, under which 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
Fostering progress
The latest report on gender equality highlights the important developments reached during the previous mandate of the Commission in equal pay, gender-balanced company boards, work-life balance and combating violence against women. The report also states that the EU is heading in the right direction, but progress varies among EU countries.
Coordinated common efforts are now needed to ensure that the corresponding pieces of legislation are properly implemented, so that the rights and dignity of women and girls will finally and consistently be enforced, protected and promoted. Striving for equality for all and equality in all of its senses will continue to be central to the Commission’s work.
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 agriculture
For years, women have kept Europe’s rural economies running from behind the scenes: growing food, managing land, raising families and, in some cases, keeping local schools open. Yet agricultural policy often overlooks these efforts. The EU-funded GRASS Ceiling project was launched to recognise rural women as drivers of agricultural change.
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.
This page was last updated on 10 February 2026