Commission's Strategy falls short of expectations
Gender Equality
The Commission has today (5th March) adopted its Gender Equality Strategy. The Strategy is supposed to lay out strategic objectives for combatting gender-based discrimination in the fields of gender-based violence, the gender pay gap, gender balance on company boards, work-life balance and gender issues related to climate change. The Greens/EFA group have been calling for a Gender Equality Strategy for the last five years.
Alice Bah Kuhnke MEP, Greens/EFA Coordinator in the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, comments:
“Having waited five years for the EU Commission to take gender equality seriously, we welcome the adoption of a Gender Equality Strategy and particularly the commitment to present a pay transparency directive. However, we’ve been let down by weak language and a lack of new legislative proposals. This was a critical opportunity to commit to a directive to combat gender-based violence - and the Commission have wasted it. A third of all women in Europe experience physical or sexual violence from the age of 15. The crisis of gender-based violence cannot be allowed to continue without a legal framework.
"Ursula von der Leyen has said she wants to put gender equality high on the agenda, but she falls short of delivering equality within her own Strategy. There are no measures proposed to alleviate the disproportionate impact of climate change on women. While the text includes a reference to adopting an intersectional perspective in all EU policies, no concrete actions are proposed for migrants, precarious workers, care workers, LGTBI people, black women and women of colour. The Commission seems to be using intersectionality as a buzzword while offering no concrete solutions to support these groups.”
Background
- The Greens/EFA Group are also calling for concrete measures on gender budgeting, a commitment to defend sexual and reproductive health and rights, and a clear strategy for addressing gender inequality in relation to climate change.
- Sunday 8th March is International Women’s Day.
