Gender equality concerns us all, and it benefits all. While progress has been made, at the current pace of change, it would take 50 years for the EU to reach full gender equality. Disparities among EU countries also persist.
Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the European Commission has presented its gender equality strategy for 2026-2030. The strategy embeds gender equality into every aspect of life, online and offline.
The new strategy turns the objectives of the Commission’s Roadmap for Women’s Rights that was endorsed in 2025 by all EU countries, into concrete actions to empower women and girls, engage men and boys, vigorously oppose any backtracking on fundamental rights, and accelerate progress towards a truly gender-equal Europe.
Its main areas of action are:
- Continuing the fight against gender-based violence with an emphasis on fighting cyberviolence, which disproportionately impacts women and girls, with measures to combat sexually explicit deepfakes and deepnudes and improve the protection of women online.
- Engaging men and boys in the fight for gender equality, recognising their important role in bringing about societal change, focusing on how to counter information manipulation and disinformation to avoid growing polarisation between women and men, particularly among young people.
- Promoting the highest standards of health and healthcare systems built for all by including an initiative together with the World Health Organization to improve the quality and accessibility of women’s healthcare.
- Boosting prosperity by promoting gender equality across economic sectors with actions to attract more women into research, innovation, startups, and to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers and encourage men to study and work in health, education, administration and literacy.
- Tackling the gender pay and pension gaps, including by supporting EU countries to fully implement the Pay Transparency Directive, and work with the European Investment Bank to improve access to finance for women entrepreneurs and boost female representation in the financial sector.
- Taking further steps to support women’s equal and safe participation in politics including by tackling information manipulation and interference online which often drives polarisation between women and men.
- Continuing to promote gender equality on the global stage with a new gender action plan for 2028-2034, and a new action plan for women, peace and security. The EU will also launch a new flagship initiative ‘SHIELD’ which will focus on improving access to sexual and reproductive health and supporting survivors of gender-based violence.
The European Commission remains dedicated to creating a fair and equal society, ensuring that gender equality is realised at every level.
For more information
Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model
Questions and Answers about the gender equality strategy 2026-2030
