On Thursday 12 December, the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT) held an exchange of views with Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, as part of Gender Equality Week. In particular, the aim was to examine health issues linked to gender equality.
In her speech, Ms Lahbib stressed the importance of making women more visible in all aspects of society, especially in the field of health.
She mentioned the gender bias in medical research, where women have long been neglected. Furthermore, according to the commissioner, health research needs to take into account the biological differences between men and women, which influence diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. “Equality in healthcare research is not optional, it is life-saving”, she said.
Ms Lahbib also raised the central issue of violence against women, recalling that its annual cost to the European Union is estimated at €290 billion, an alarming figure that justifies the introduction of stronger policies.
She said that violence against women would be a priority in the future strategy on gender equality, planned for the period 2025-2029.
During the discussion, Laurent Castillo (EPP, French) raised the issue of endometriosis, a disease that affects around 10% of women, and called for faster action at European level. Ms Lahbib reaffirmed the major role played by research into diseases that specifically affect women, while deploring the fact that this area remains underfunded.
Alessandra Moretti (S&D, Italian), for her part, pointed to the importance of education on sexuality and women’s self-determination, reminding us that culture and mentalities must change if we are to combat violence and exploitation more effectively.
She spoke of the need to raise awareness among the younger generations and to promote genuine gender equality, particularly with regard to reproductive rights.
Ms Lahbib responded by saying that her mandate would be devoted to education on these issues, and that a dialogue with young people would be essential.
Catarina Martins (The Left, Portuguese), for her part, questioned the commissioner on the issue of abortion, stressing that access to safe abortions should be considered a fundamental right. Ms Lahbib replied that she would continue to defend universal access to abortion in Europe, insisting that no woman should have to travel to exercise this right.
Finally, the issue of unequal access to cancer treatments was raised by Bartosz Arłukowicz (EPP, Polish), who called for joint European action to ensure fair access to cancer treatments, regardless of patients’ geographical location.
The commissioner maintained her commitment to promoting gender equality in health policies and to strengthening cooperation between Member States to ensure better access to healthcare for all, regardless of gender or social status. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)