European Parliament: FEMM Committee Meeting
Presenting EIGE’s 2024 Work Programme
Wednesday 24th January 2024
Good afternoon honourable members, and all of you joining us today.
It’s great to kick start 2024 with this tradition. I’m very keen to share EIGE’s programme for the coming year.
Because as you all know this is a very significant year for Europe with the European Parliament election this June.
Elections are foundational to a functioning and thriving democracy. Because they can bring about meaningful change. They can help us reach our goals. They can deliver on our values.
Right now, you get this sense of optimism in the atmosphere, that many opportunities abound, but of course this sits with much concern.
Hard fought gains in gender equality could be overturned - especially when the current Commission and your own Parliament have proudly put gender equality at the heart of their agendas.
So, preparedness is key.
Alright, first let me take you back to 2023. EIGE began engaging in strategic foresight - which supports future-oriented decision-making - with its stakeholders in a series of workshops between our Management Board and Experts Forum members.
We exchanged views and ideas on what the key issues and trends are in today’s world relevant to gender equality. Through discussion and reflection, it served to shape a broader understanding of the future of gender equality and related policy in the EU to 2040.
To complement these consultations, we also conducted a public survey covering the same ground, which received over 100 responses.
Between the consultations with stakeholders and our survey results, the areas identified as having the most impact on gender equality are digitalisation, such as the growing impact of AI which includes the gender bias in AI as well as the role of social media enabling disinformation.
Then another trend identified as having an impact on gender equality is the changing nature of work – in terms of the generational impacts of changing employment, career models and organizational structures.
And finally among the highest-ranking trends is also, the impact of climate change. A global phenomenon which we all experience but are impacted by in uniquely different ways.
Taking these insights forward, we will be sharing more concrete outcomes from this meaningful work, as well as the possible strategic avenues to navigate the future, both for our Agency as well as for the Gender Equality EU portfolio.
In a fast-changing landscape, preparedness as I said earlier, is what gives us much needed agility.
Now, in light of the 2024 European election, amongst our flagship work, we are continuing our work on Gender Sensitive Parliaments – which supports parliaments with evidence and practical tools on gender equality plans.
And of course, our annual Gender Equality Index – a barometer for the state of gender equality in the EU - will play a key role as well – but this year however, it is strategically timed to be released across 10-11 December during our second Gender Equality Forum. In the interest of relevance and timeliness, we are going to allow for some space between the European Parliament elections and a new Commission – likely - to be in place.
This year’s Index thematic focus will be on Violence Against Women. Which has always been one of EIGE’s core priority topics – and will remain as such until VAW stops. Once and for all.
Making up part of the thematic focus, are the survey results, from the joint FRA-EIGE survey which complement Eurostat’s EU-wide data collection, to give us a wide picture view on the state of violence against women. It’s a unique survey because it involves interviews – showing a different perspective to national statistics. Our task will be to bring out the evidence, but also the real stories.
Now it’s been 10 years since we had updated data on VAW, but of course that’s not to say, we are not already privy to the deeply painful reality many women face in the EU.
You only have to watch the news or read the papers to know this.
It’s something that European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola only recently weighed in on, when she was here in Vilnius just a few weeks ago during a discussion with the youth on the future of the EU.
To quote her words: “We still have too many attacks in Europe and our systems are not well equipped - there is gender aspect to violence, and we need to do more.”
Combatting VAW calls for sustained investment in protection, prevention and integrated policies. And above all, to action it all – political will.
I just mentioned it’s been 10 years since we last had updated data on VAW – it’s also been a decade since the Index was first launched!
Echoing what our stakeholders tell us, time and time again, the Gender Equality Index is a cornerstone of EIGE’s work and the tool which they use to support their own work.
Nevertheless, when you celebrate a milestone moment like that, you not only revel in the achievement but you also move the goal post for ways to improve.
That’s why we are currently looking at revising the Index methodology. Because the reality of today presents new challenges and opportunities. In view of new policy priorities, newly emerging topics and megatrends, and expertise on Index methodologies, we will refresh the concept and measurement of the Index in our 2025 edition and editions to come.
And then, coming back to this year again. We are doubling down on making the EU green and gender-equal, moving forward from last year’s #3StepsForward campaign.
We were very proudly at COP28 in Dubai at the end of last year, where we highlighted the connection between gender equality and the environment. And why we need to continuously raise awareness on the need to incorporate a gender perspective into climate-related policies.
This year we will be sharing step-by-step toolkits which provide comprehensive guidance on how to ensure Green Deal related policies maintain a gender perspective throughout policy cycles as well as a compilation of good practices shared by different Member States.
Now, looking at EIGE’s contributions to Presidencies, EIGE is currently preparing the report for the Belgian Presidency, which is on financial independence and gender equality.
Financial independence is of central importance for gender equality because it provides individuals with the resources, opportunities, and agency to lead fulfilling lives, irrespective of their background or identity. Financial independence is also a protective factor in relation to economic and other forms of violence against women.
Staying in the realm of the Presidencies, EIGE will be conducting a horizontal review of the 12 areas in the Beijing Platform for Action ahead of the Polish Presidency in 2025, to provide recommendations for further actions to promote gender equality in the EU.
Now that I have given you a snapshot of where our work is taking us in 2024 and beyond, I want to end on a note of hope and pragmatism.
I believe 2024 can be the year we see democracy in action.
We’ve come this far through increasingly strong investments into groundbreaking directives, inclusive policies and legislation that leads by example.
Therefore, we have the opportunity to operate from a strong basis to build up towards reaching our goal of fully gender equality.
But, we still need to safeguard and protect what we have achieved – because it’s never a given.
Progress is constant work and requires ongoing and close monitoring.
Our challenges and obstacles are well known. But we have proven resilience so far.
We must never cease to learn, grow and adapt together.
Thank you for your time.