The European Union’s employment and social affairs ministers, meeting in Council on Monday 2 December in Brussels, adopted conclusions aimed at strengthening women’s and girls’ mental health through measures promoting gender equality.
This text is in line with the EU’s commitments on equality, notably the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025.
The conclusions call for a gender perspective to be included in the design of mental health policies, in accordance with Article 8 of the TFEU, which requires gender equality to be mainstreamed in all EU actions.
As related in the text, women in the EU are almost twice as likely as men to suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization. The conclusions also point out that women exposed to multiple forms of discrimination, such as single mothers or those living in precarious situations, are particularly vulnerable.
The text aims to counter gender violence and stereotypes, which have been identified as major causes of psychological disorders. As a complement to Directive 2024/1385 adopted in the spring (see EUROPE 13431/33), the conclusions advocate improved access to psychological support services, particularly for women victims of violence, and encourage the creation of specialised reception centres.
They also recommend awareness campaigns aimed at reducing gender stereotypes and preventing online harassment, which is particularly harmful to young girls. These measures are part of an approach that includes the ‘Digital Services Act’ (see EUROPE 13064/18), to strengthen the regulation of digital platforms.
In addition, the conclusions call for the correct and timely implementation of recent legislation, such as the directive on pay transparency, which is essential for closing the pay gap of 13% on average in the EU, and the directive on work-life balance, which promotes a fairer distribution of domestic responsibilities.
Finally, the text also calls for better training for professionals, such as social workers and educators, to detect and support women facing these problems.
Read the conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/ej7 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)