The European Parliament’s resolution adopted on Thursday 11 February gives a bleak assessment of gender equality. The text, supported by a very large majority (505 votes in favour, 109 against, 76 abstentions), details the progress made and the challenges ahead, 25 years after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action for women’s empowerment.
The targets set in the UN-sponsored programme have not been met by any of the EU27 Member States, Parliament notes “with concern”, relying upon the fifth review of the programme published by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in 2020.
While acknowledging that some progress has been made - more women in decision-making positions, for example - MEPs deplore the slow progress, pointing out in particular that the gender pay gap remains at 14% in Europe and that the gender pension gap is as high as 40% in some EU countries.
Threats and backtracking
Moreover, the progress achieved is proving fragile, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen a resurgence of violence against women and accentuated gender inequalities, particularly economic inequalities. Family responsibilities are estimated to have forced 7.7 million women in Europe out of the labour market, compared to 450,000 men, the resolution says, again citing the EIGE.
In addition to the impact of the health crisis, MEPs warn of “backtracking trends” observed in some EU countries.
Poland, in particular, is mentioned several times in the resolution and was repeatedly singled out during the debate on the subject on Wednesday 10 February.
Poland’s Sylwia Spurek (Greens/EFA) regretted in particular that women in her country face a questioning of their right to abortion (see EUROPE 12654/5), a lack of protection from violence and sometimes no access to gynaecologists.
Ratify the Istanbul Convention
Without mentioning any country, the Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, for her part, regretted the opposition to the framework for combating violence against women in the EU, “sometimes based on the fact that the word ‘gender’ is used”. Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria have recently prevented the adoption of two draft EU Council conclusions on this ground (see EUROPE 12614/26).
A “taboo” also pointed out by MEP Chrysoula Zacharopoulou (Renew Europe, France), who called on the EU to deal with “its own contradictions”.
“Some governments within the Union are openly campaigning against the Istanbul Convention” (see EUROPE 12609/5), denounced Katalin Cseh (Renew Europe, Hungary).
Parliament, on the contrary, advocated, for the umpteenth time, in its resolution, the ratification of this Convention by the Union. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)