EU for gender equality

European union for gender equality

Anastasia Maniki, Diotima Centre, Greece

Since its inception, the European Union (EU) has been actively promoting gender equality as a fundamental value and has been committed to empowering women in all areas of society. The EU recognizes that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but also a key factor for economic growth and social development. Over the years the EU has taken various initiatives to promote and achieve gender equality in its member states, including enshrining it in EU law and developing policies and programs to promote gender equality, while setting a number of targets and benchmarks including the goal of achieving gender parity in employment rates, reducing the gender pay gap, and increasing the representation of women in decision-making positions. One of the key actions taken by the EU is also the adoption of the principle of gender mainstreaming, which aims to ensure that gender equality is integrated into all policies and actions of the EU and its member states. This lesson aims to give you a definition of gender mainstreaming and an overview of the current strategies, policies, and initiatives within the EU to achieve gender equality.