This lesson, number 23 of the second module of EUPress Teacher Training, covers the macro topic of ‘EU Citizenship and Democracy’.
It will explore EU policies related to gender equality.
The Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 fulfills the Commission’s pledge to create a Union of Equality by ending gender-based violence, challenging gender stereotypes, and addressing the gender pay and pensions gap.
Despite decades of policy progress, stark inequalities persist between women and men across the European Union. Based on the latest data, 33% of EU women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence, 55% have faced sexual harassment, and women continue to earn on average 16% less per hour than men. These figures highlight the urgent need for transformation — and the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen has placed gender equality at the centre of its mandate.
A strategic roadmap: The Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025
At the heart of the EU’s commitment is the Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, designed to build “a Union of equality” by addressing violence, discrimination, and underrepresentation at all levels of society.
The strategy is organised around a set of key targets:
- Ending gender-based violence
- Challenging gender stereotypes
- Closing gaps in pay, pensions, and labour participation
- Achieving gender balance in corporate and political leadership
- Reducing the gender care gap
The approach combines gender mainstreaming — integrating gender considerations into all policies — with targeted legislation and programmes. Intersectionality is also a guiding principle: recognising that discrimination can be intensified by overlapping identities, such as gender, race, disability, or sexual orientation.
Legislative breakthroughs and new instruments
Several landmark initiatives have been launched under the strategy:
- In 2021, the Commission proposed binding measures on pay transparency to combat the structural gender pay gap.
- In 2022, it adopted a proposal for a directive against violence against women and domestic violence, including provisions to criminalise cyber violence and protect victims’ rights across the EU.
- After a decade of stalemate, the Directive on Gender Balance in Corporate Boards was finally adopted in November 2022, establishing clear targets for female representation in Europe’s largest listed companies.
- On 8 March 2023, the EU launched a continent-wide campaign to challenge gender stereotypes, addressing biases in education, careers, care responsibilities, and leadership.
Aligning policies and budgets with equality goals
Beyond legislation, the Commission is integrating gender equality into the 2021–2027 EU budget, using diverse programmes to fund equality-related projects — from the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme to cohesion and structural funds.
The goal is a systemic shift: empowering women and girls to pursue their goals, supporting men in playing equal caregiving roles, and reshaping institutions to reflect a society that is inclusive for all.
