The Committee on Development and the Committee on Womens Rights and Gender Equality adopted the own-initiative report by Chrysoula ZACHAROPOULOU (Renew Europe,FR) on the EU Gender Action Plan III.
The report noted that achieving respect for human dignity and gender equality is still a challenge with millions of women and girls still facing barriers to their empowerment, with discrimination and, in many cases, domestic violence, exploitation and poverty being their daily lot.
Members consider that no country in the world will come close to achieving gender equality before 2030. However, the post-COVID recovery period provides an opportunity for a fresh start focused on human development.
GAP III should be the framework for an active contribution of EU external action in the fight against gender inequality.
Members welcomed the new EU Gender Action Plan III for 2021-2025 and its call for a gender-equal world, as a continuation of, and building on, the work, the lessons learned and the achievements of GAP II.
More effective EU commitment and efficient implementation
Members welcomed the fact that 85 % of all new external actions will be required to incorporate gender as a significant or principal objective and also welcomed the Commissions aim of having gender equality as the main objective of 5 % of its new external action programmes. Members called for the establishment of an extensive and comprehensive training programme to underpin the implementation of GAP III, in particular on gender mainstreaming, gender budgeting and gender impact assessments, as well as on gender-based violence.
Moreover, sufficient funding through the EU programming process is needed for the effective implementation of GAP III.
Areas of action
Eliminating all forms of gender-based violence
Members welcomed that the first area of engagement of GAP III focuses on eliminating all forms of gender-based violence and called for enhanced, coordinated and holistic action to combat femicide, and all types of gender-based violence online and offline, to be stepped up.
Members called on the Commission to ensure a coherent long-term approach to stopping FGM both within and outside the EU by improving synergies between internal and external EU programmes.
Ensuring access to healthcare for women and sexual and reproductive rights (SRHR)
The EU should be a leading example worldwide in terms of promoting SRHR, free from coercion, violence, discrimination and abuse. In this regard, all Member States are called on to ensure universal access to SRHR in their territories.
Measures are called for measures to prevent girls from missing school during their periods and to tackle period poverty and combat stigmatisation in this area.
Promoting economic and social rights and equality, and ensuring the autonomy of women and girls
Noting the economic and social consequences resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the report called for GAP III to promote womens economic activity and their access to the necessary economic and social tools, and resources and social protection, especially in emergency contexts.
Members called for increased and targeted funding and scholarships to enable women and girls to access higher education and vocational training, in particular with a view to promoting the digital and technological education of girls, and womens participation in STEM fields, and to support female-led projects.
Involving women in peacebuilding and security initiatives
Members called on the EU to promote greater participation by women in peacekeeping and further peacebuilding, and to support and recognise women, young women, girls and women human rights defenders as key drivers of change, and to support and protect them.
Ensuring gender-responsive humanitarian action
The Commission is called on to provide more concrete proposals on specific expenditure, programmes, tracking and assessment of gender-related activities in humanitarian settings, and to elaborate measures to further develop adapted and efficient gender-responsive EU humanitarian action.
Building a green and digital society
Members welcomed the inclusion in GAP III of the priority area on climate change, given that climate change is not gender neutral, as it acts as an amplifier of existing gender inequalities, especially for the poor, young people and indigenous people, and especially in fragile environments.
The report also called for the Green Deal for Europe to be swiftly followed by Green Deal Diplomacy that systematically includes a gender and intersectional perspective, and involves women and girls, including indigenous women, in strategic decision-making on climate change adaptation.
Creating a true Generation Equality
Members called for the EU, its Member States, the Commission and the EEAS to commit to advance towards a feminist foreign, security and development policy that entails a gender-transformative vision and to make gender equality a core part of their external actions and priorities.