The EU ministers responsible for gender equality have been invited to the Egmont Palace (Brussels) on Tuesday 27 February for an informal meeting under the Belgian Presidency to discuss the successes and lessons learned from the current European mandate for gender equality and how to accelerate progress in this area within the Union in the coming years. The discussions will be attended by representatives of the European Women’s Lobby and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
The evening before, a welcome dinner was organised at the BELvue museum, dedicated to Belgium and its history. In addition, ministers from the current trio of rotating EU Council Presidencies (Spain, Belgium and Hungary) and the incoming trio (Poland, Denmark and Cyprus) were invited to a working lunch on Monday 26 February to discuss their respective priorities and visit one of Belgium’s centres for the prevention of sexual violence.
Tuesday will be divided into two main sessions.
Review of achievements. During the first part of the day, participants will have the opportunity to examine in detail the progress made in promoting gender equality over the last five years.
In the presence of Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, participants will discuss legislative initiatives, programmes and measures taken to combat gender-based violence, promote women’s economic empowerment and close the gender gap. Concrete examples of success will be presented, highlighting the significant advances made under the EU’s current gender equality mandate.
It will discuss the creation of the first college of Commissioners with equal gender representation and the appointment of a Commissioner dedicated to Equality.
In addition, the ministers will examine the strategy developed by the EU for gender equality, accompanied by legislative proposals and initiatives to promote women’s economic empowerment and combat gender-based violence, such as the recently adopted directive (see EUROPE 13350/35).
Discussions will also focus on the obstacles encountered and lessons learnt during this period in order to identify areas where further efforts are needed and to share best practice between EU Member States.
And for good reason: despite this progress, there are still shortcomings. The 2023 EIGE Gender Equality Index for the EU shows persistent disparities between Member States, with a slight increase in inequalities in several areas. Women continue to earn on average 13% less per hour than men, are disproportionately affected by violence and remain under-represented in spheres of power.
The multiple crises facing Europe, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the challenges of climate change, have exacerbated its inequalities.
Outlook for 2030. The second session will look to the future, with a vision for 2030. Participants will discuss the content of the future agenda for gender equality at European level, as well as ways of strengthening the institutional mechanisms available to implement this policy effectively.
In the presence of the Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Carleen Scheele, the discussions will focus on the economic empowerment and financial independence of women as a path towards substantial gender equality.
Topics such as reducing the pay gap, eliminating gender stereotypes in employment and ensuring fair access to economic opportunities will be at the heart of the debates. Discussions will also focus on the emerging challenges and new strategies needed to ensure that gender equality remains a major political priority for the EU in the years ahead.
The meeting document: https://aeur.eu/f/b11 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)