European Commission publishes its first Roadmap for Women’s Rights: what does it imply for women, gender equality and gender-based violence?
Last week the European Commission (EC) launched the new Roadmap for Women’s Rights (here after the Roadmap) presenting the Commission’s vision for women’s rights, gender equality and ending gender-based violence (GBV) including harmful practices like female genital mutilation (FGM).
The End FGM European Network (End FGM EU) welcomes the adoption of these principles, and the renewed commitment made to promote and protect women’s rights inside the European Union (EU) and globally and for reaching the sustainable development goals. The Roadmap comes at the right moment for the EU considering the current backlash against women’s rights and systematic questioning of fundamental rights. More than ever, European institutions and Member States need to take a clear stand to promote and protect women’s rights, gender equality, sexual and reproductive rights (SRHR) and ending GBV for all and without discrimination.
While we welcome the Roadmap mentioning the need to end all forms of GBV including FGM, access to victim-centred support and protection, the importance of SRHR, funding for civil society organisations (CSO) and EU agencies, we have also identified some shortcomings.
Despite intersectionality being at the cornerstone of multiple European commitments and policies such as the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, the Gender Action Plan III or the newly adopted Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, the Roadmap falls short when it comes to being inclusive of all women and girls in their diversity by not including a thorough and mainstreamed intersectional approach. When it comes to the most vulnerable groups, we are concerned by the absence of mention of the rights of migrant women, women in poverty, Roma women and intersex women - among others - even though the latest Gender equality index stresses that in most Member States these groups are the most at risk of intersectional discrimination.
The roadmap also missed the opportunity to be stronger and more uncompromising regarding the current political landscape and the backlash women’s rights organisations are facing. The EU must take everyopportunity to address the growing anti-rights movement and the rise of conservative parties in Europe and globally and the risk for women’s rights, equality and discrimination.
End FGM EU, calls on the EC to go further and beyond the content of the Roadmap and applies its principles in the next gender equality strategy and in the current MFF discussion to ensure gender is mainstreamed across all budget lines and that accessible and sustainable funding for CSOs, including smaller grassroots organisations, is guaranteed.
We are confident the Roadmap is an important first step towards a Union that upholds the rights of all women in their diversity, and we encourage Member States and EU institutions to follow that lead and ensure women’s rights, gender equality, SRHR and ending GBV is high on their political agenda. End FGM EU will follow closely the next steps and remain available to work with the EC towards a gender equal world free from violence.
See the annex for more details.
Annex
This annex compiles different point we identified as positive points included in the Roadmap and others that are more concerning.
What we are concerned about
- In the section about health no mentions of continuous professional training.
- Absence of a mention of a need for a gender and culturally sensitive approach when it comes to healthcare in general and not only for medical research.
- The roadmap fails in being inclusive of the most precarious women there is no mention of migrant women, women in poverty, intersex women, Roma women etc. Despite the last EIGE report on GBV stressing that Roma and migrant women are facing higher risk of violence.
- The roadmap and communication mention the need for better funding for women’s rights organisations and asks CSOs to support this roadmap. However, the EC failed to mention the specific needs of smaller grassroots organisations working on the field.
What we welcome
- EU’s renewed commitment for women’s rights and gender equality and its leading role both internally and externally and renewed commitment to the SDGs
- Mention of intersectionality in the introduction ‘Special attention must be paid to women facing intersectional discrimination, based on characteristics such as racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.’
- One specific point on ‘preventing and combatting harmful practices such as FGM and forced marriage’ included under freedom from GBV.
- Specific point on giving access to victim-centred support and protection and access to justice.
- Health has a specific section, and it mentions both mental and physical health and under this section SRHR is mentioned (rights are included).
- Mention of institutional follow up including funding for CSOs and Union’s agencies.
- Mention of gender mainstreaming