The European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) adopted a report, on Thursday 16 July, calling on the European External Action Service (EEAS), the Commission, European agencies and Member States to take greater account of gender inequalities and to integrate the gender dimension into EU foreign policy.
The text, approved by 27 votes in favour, 5 against and 2 abstentions, emphasises in particular the need to ensure equal participation of women in EU foreign policy negotiations and peace and security processes.
It also stresses the need for more funding and suggests the implementation of microcredits, to support women “including in areas such as inheritance rights to property and land” or “to protect them from child labour and other forms of exploitation”.
The Commission and the EEAS are also invited to support health and sexual and reproductive rights, access to family planning, contraception and safe and legal abortion services.
The report also welcomes the Commission’s proposal to present, in 2020, a new action plan on gender equality. The GAP III 2021-2025 should include the allocation of 85% of official development assistance to programmes that make gender equality an important objective, say the MEPs.
Regretting that women represent only 31.3% of middle management and 26% of senior management positions in the EEAS, compared to 40% in the European Commission, they also expect the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, to take action to remedy this situation.
Lastly, MEPs call, again, for the establishment of an official EU Council configuration of European ministers and secretaries of state responsible for gender equality (see EUROPE 12524/7). (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)