Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Girls

Gender equality is one of the European Union’s core values. All people, in all their diversity, should be free to live their chosen life, thrive socially and economically, participate and take the lead as equals. Gender equality is one of the European Union’s core values. All people, in all their diversity, should be free to live their chosen life, thrive socially and economically, participate and take the lead as equals. Women and girls are key agents of development and change. Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is vital to building fair, inclusive, prosperous, and peaceful societies everywhere.

In 2010 the EU adopted its first Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in Development (2010-2015). It aimed to ensure a more vital role of the EU in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in development and ensuring adequate human and financial resources. By 2015, almost half of EU Official Development Assistance contributed to gender equality and women’s empowerment. By November 2015, the Gender Action Plan II, ‘Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: 

Transforming the Lives of Girls and Women through EU External Relations 2016-2020′ (GAP II) was adopted. It committed the EU to strengthen the work further to make gender equality a palpable reality for women and girls worldwide. The thematic areas of action were: Ensuring girls’ and women’s physical and psychological integrity; Promoting the social and economic rights/empowerment of women and girls; and Strengthening girls’ and women’s voice and participation.

The European Union Gender Action Plan III (2021 – 2027) focuses on five pillars: 

  • Making gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment a cross-cutting priority of EU external action. By 2025, 85% of new EU actions should contribute to achieving this objective, with more actions including it as the primary objective. 
  • Working together with the EU Member States as Team Europe at multilateral, regional, and country levels and fostering partnerships with stakeholders, CSO, and women’s organizations. 
  • Accelerating progress by focusing on critical areas of engagement: Ending gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, economic and social rights and empowerment, Equal participation and leadership, Women, peace and security, and Green and digital transformations.
  • Leading by example, striving for a gender-responsive and balanced leadership, more capacity and expertise, and a reinforced network of gender focal points. 
  • Focusing on results, accountability, and transparency through qualitative, quantitative, and inclusive monitoring.