- The Union of Equality: EU Strategies Against Structural Discrimination
- Stronger together: democracy and gender equality in Europe
- Combatting child poverty: a European child guarantee
- Threat to democracy and human rights: the anti-gender movement in Europe
- Equal Care: how the EU promotes a gender-equal divison of care work
Stronger together: democracy and gender equality in Europe
What's gender equality got to do with democracy? Why is an intersectional understanding of gender equality more democratic? And what's happening in the European Union to foster gender equality and democracy?
The Dossier engages with these questions in depth: The topic is introduced by Julia Lux (Observatory). In his statement, Robert Biedroń (Chair of the FEMM-Committee in the European Parliament) recapitulates the EU parliamentary equality policy efforts during the legislative period 2019–2024. Belinda Dear (ILGA-Europe) and Julie Pascoët (ENAR) highlight in the interview where reform is needed from an intersectional perspective on equality. Gabriele Abels (University of Tübingen, Germany) discusses the Commission initiative Union of Equality. To top it off, theses on the relationship between democracy and gender equality by Julia Lux (Observatory) provide food for thought.
The Union of Equality: EU Strategies Against Structural Discrimination
The 'Union of Equality' is a key objective of the European Union, as defined by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in 2019. Adopting an intersectional approach, the goal is to establish a society that respects diversity and ensures equal opportunities and rights for all.The EU Gender Equality Strategy and the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy, which will run until the end of the year, will be presented, along with a document outlining the status of their implementation in selected areas. Furthermore, insight will be provided into the EU's new equality initiatives for the current legislative period from 2024 to 2029.
Please note that the background information is only published in German.
Threat to democracy and human rights: the anti-gender movement in Europe
Movements mobilising against gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights have gained strength across Europe in recent years. The strengthening also brings to light an increasingly transnationally organised and financed independent anti-gender movement that attacks the rights of women and LGBTIQ+ people.
It also puts democracy, human rights and the rule of law at risk. This is evident locally, regionally or nationally, and Europe-wide, where alliances are organised transnationally to undermine the European Union's foundations and reverse already existing consensus.
The Newsletter 2/2021 introduces the emergence, main lines of argumentation, and actors of the transnational anti-gender movement in Europe. To do so, the Newsletter looks at the specific case of the Istanbul Convention combating gender-based violence. Furthermore, it provides insights into three focal topics: transnational financing structures of the anti-gender movement, increasing anti-trans attacks and corresponding counterstrategies, as well as gender-based cyber violence.
In 2023, the Observatory looked at the anti-gender movement in Europe again. Dossier 1/2023 deals with the right to abortion in Europe. Banning abortions is also intended to undermine human rights and gender equality, with implications for an open and democratic society.
Combatting child poverty: a European child guarantee
Child poverty is widespread in Europe, even in economically strong countries. One in four children in the European Union is at risk of poverty and social exclusion. The coronavirus pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have exacerbated existing inequalities even further.In March 2021, the European Commission adopted the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, which aims to reduce the number of children at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union by at least five million by 2030. To achieve this, an integrated approach is needed that focuses on the causes of poverty and social exclusion, and that breaks the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
On 14 June 2021, the EU Member States adopted a Council recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee. It aims to prevent and combat the social exclusion of children in need by guaranteeing access to different key services, e.g. early childhood education and care, education, healthcare or healthy nutrition and adequate housing. The European Commission has called on the EU Member States to establish a national action plan covering the period until 2030 to implement the European Child Guarantee.
Equal Care: how the EU promotes a gender-equal divison of care work
Directive 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers came into force on August 1, 2019. It regulates EU-wide minimum standards for various types of leave of absence and flexible working hours for care work. This is intended to support a more gender-equal division of unpaid care work.
The Dossier introduces the concept of care work and shows how its division impacts socio-economic gender equality. The Dossier also provides an overview of the content and objectives of the Directive with a focus on its gender equality policy dimension. A first introduction is given in the foreword by Irena Moozova, Deputy Director General - International Dimension of Justice Policy, Rule of Law and Gender Equality in the Directorate General Justice at the European Commission. It also includes contributions by Attila Bőhm (COFACE Families Europe) with a civil society perspective on the Directive and by Caroline de la Porte (Copenhagen Business School) on conditions for a higher take-up of leave by fathers.
