European Commission presents its Strategy on Gender Equality

On 5 March, ahead of International Women’s Day, the European Commission presented its Strategy on Gender Equality 2020-2025. The Strategy aims at progressing towards a gender equal Europe “where all women and men, girls and boys, in all their diversity, are equal. Where they are free to pursue their chosen path in life, where they have equal opportunities to thrive, and where they can equally participate in and lead our European society.”

The Strategy was presented during a press conference by European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency Vĕra Jourová and Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli. One of the first deliverables of the Strategy will be binding pay transparency measures, which the European Commission is set to propose by the end of 2020. For that purpose, a public consultation is ongoing until 28 May 2020, inviting citizens and all other stakeholders to collect their views and experiences on gender-based pay discrimination and pay transparency measures.

The Strategy is divided into three parts. Part one, Being free from violence and stereotypes, concerns actions in the field of gender-based violence, sexual harassment, abuse of women and female genital mutilation, as well as challenging gender stereotypes. Part two, Thriving in a gender-equal economy, addresses actions to close the gender pay, pension and care gaps in the labour market and achieving gender equal participation across different sectors of the economy. Part three, Leading equally throughout society, includes actions aimed at achieving gender balance in decision-making and politics.

Background information