Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030

On March 5, the European Commission presented its new Gender Equality Strategy for 2026–2030. This strategy aims to mainstream gender equality into all areas of life, both online and offline, including education, healthcare, employment, and public life. It also addresses new challenges, such as cyberviolence and risks associated with artificial intelligence, which particularly affect women.

Below is a brief overview of the strategy. Find the strategy in full HERE.

Key priorities of the strategy:

• Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The Commission plans to review policies and international frameworks in this area. It also plans to develop a framework and methodology for systematic data collection to improve the evidence base on SRHR. In addition, the Commission intends to support initiatives aimed at improving access to contraception in the EU, increasing its availability and affordability. Furthermore, in February 2026, the Commission provided a response to the European Citizens’ Initiative “My Voice My Choice.” The response acknowledges that unsafe abortions are a public health issue and emphasizes that Member States may, if they wish, use the European Social Fund+ to improve equal access to legally available and affordable safe abortion services.

• Combating gender-based violence, particularly in the digital space. The strategy introduces measures to address cyberviolence, including the non-consensual dissemination of intimate materials, online threats, and hateful content. It also focuses on sexually explicit deepfakes and deepnudes and on improving the protection of women online. Research shows that 98% of deepfakes on the internet are pornographic in nature, and 99% of them depict women. The Commission will also support reforms aimed at defining rape based on the principle of consent and will review legal frameworks across the EU to ensure that non-consensual sexual intercourse is recognized as rape in all Member States. Member States will also be supported in preparing national action plans to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence.

• Promoting shared responsibility for gender equality. The strategy emphasizes the need for men and boys to be more involved in addressing gender inequalities, while also tackling misinformation and the manipulation of information that fuel tensions and divide women and men, particularly among young people.

• Improving healthcare. The strategy promotes high standards of healthcare and addresses the lack of gender-sensitive research, diagnostics, and treatment.

• Strengthening economic equality and work-life balance. The strategy includes a new action plan for women in research and startups with the aim of increasing their representation in these fields. At the same time, it highlights the unequal distribution of unpaid care and domestic work, as women continue to bear the majority of this burden. In the EU, 41% of women spend more than 35 hours a week caring for children, compared to 20% of men. Encouraging men to take parental leave and make use of flexible working arrangements is key to reducing this inequality. The lack of access to affordable, high-quality childcare and long-term care also continues to limit women’s participation in the labor market.

• Addressing disparities in pay, pensions, and employment. On average, women in the EU earn 12% less per hour than men. The strategy supports the implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive and improved access to finance for women entrepreneurs. At the same time, it contributes to the EU’s goal of reducing the gender employment gap by 2030.

• Supporting women’s participation in politics and public life. The strategy supports women’s equal and safe participation in politics and addresses the impact of disinformation and online attacks. Women currently hold about one-third of seats in national parliaments and in senior government positions across the EU, and their representation in the European Parliament fell below 40% following the 2024 elections. Women in politics are often the target of attacks on the matter of their credibility and qualifications, while disinformation frequently discourages them from participating and gaining public support. Female journalists are similarly affected, facing frequent online harassment, often of a more aggressive and sexualized nature.

• Promoting gender equality at the global level.

Overall, the main principles of the new gender equality strategy include:

1. Freedom from gender-based violence – the right to security and dignity.
2. The highest standards of physical and mental health.
3. Equal pay, economic empowerment and financial independence.
4. Work-life balance and gender equality in care.
5. Equal employment opportunities and adequate working conditions.
6. High-quality and inclusive education and training.
7. Active, equal and safe participation in public and political life.
8. Institutional mechanisms that deliver on gender equality.

Despite the progress made, current estimates suggest that, at the current pace, it could take another 50 years to achieve full gender equality in the EU, with significant disparities persisting among Member States.