How is the EU protecting women’s rights against rising global pushback? The European Commission (2025a) outlines a roadmap to reaffirm foundational values and guide its equality policies beyond 2025.
Grounded in EU law since the 1957 Treaty of Rome, gender equality remains a core priority, guiding efforts to close labor and wage gaps, expand the care economy, support work-life balance, and combat violence against women. Building on the Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, internal mainstreaming through the Taskforce on Equality, and a 7.9-point rise to 71 on the 2024 Gender Equality Index, the EU also continues to champion these standards globally under Sustainable Development Goal 5.
However, with worldwide backlash, sexism, and challenges to existing protections on the rise, the European Commission (2025a) stresses the urgent need to renew this commitment. In line with the 2024–2029 Political Guidelines and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, this roadmap establishes core principles and an annexed declaration to steer future actions, especially the post-2025 Gender Equality Strategy. The Commission calls on member states, EU institutions, and civil society to unite in realizing these goals, reinforcing gender equality as an essential foundation for democracy, economic competitiveness, and social justice.
Learn more about this policy here:
European Commission. (2025). A roadmap for women’s rights (COM(2025) 97 final) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:2fbb2780-fb4e-11ef-b7db-01aa75ed71a1.0001.02/DOC_1&format=PDF