This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
European Commission communication – A Union of equality: Gender equality strategy 2020–2025
It forms the basis for the European Commission’s work on gender equality and sets out the policy objectives and key actions for the 2020–2025 period.
The European Union’s (EU) gender equality strategy aims to achieve a gender equal Europe, free of gender-based violence, sex discrimination and structural inequality between men and women. A dual approach will be taken in implementing the strategy, which includes:
Key objectives and actions
The strategy sets out the key objectives and accompanying actions to be carried out by the Commission, the Council of the European Union and the EU Member States.
Gender mainstreaming and ensuring an intersectional perspective in EU decision-making
The Commission will integrate a gender perspective into all its major initiatives, helped by the appointment of the first Commissioner for Equality, as a stand-alone portfolio, and by creating a task force for equality.
Gender equality in funding
The Commission’s proposal for the 2021–2027 multiannual financial framework supports various gender equality issues, including:
Funding is provided through various EU funding and budgetary guarantee instruments, including:
Dedicated funding for projects benefiting civil-society organisations and public institutions that implement specific actions, including preventing and combating gender-based violence, will be available through the citizens, equality, rights and values programme.
For further information, see:
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – A Union of equality: Gender equality strategy 2020–2025 (COM(2020) 152 final, 5.3.2020).
Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work–life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU (OJ L 188, 12.7.2019, pp. 79–93).
Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing a European Institute for Gender Equality (OJ L 403, 30.12.2006, pp. 9–17).
Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
last update 02.05.2022