Gender Equality Political Strategy for the EU
A Road to Parity in Political Leadership in Europe
EU's current Strategy for Gender Equality
In the run-up to the European elections in May 2019, new mandates in the Commission and European Council, and the end of the EU's current strategy for gender equality, there is a particular focus on how a better gender balance (at least 40 %) or gender parity (50 %), could be achieved in the next Parliament and for other high-level posts in the EU institutions, and how the EU and its Member States can move towards true parity democracy.
EU Gender Gap in Political Representation
In 2019, several EU countries are marking the centenary of women winning the right to vote in national elections (Luxembourg, the Netherlands),1 or the first women being elected to their national parliaments (Luxembourg, Austria) or holding a ministerial position (Ireland). Yet, one hundred years on, Europe-wide data show that women are still under-represented in political decision-making at local, national and European levels.
EU gender balance in political representation and participation
The EU has committed to achieving a gender balance in political representation and participation as a matter of justice, equality and democracy. Concrete recommendations have been made for achieving this goal, including specific action that could be taken by the EU institutions, national governments, political parties, civil society and the media.
“The composition of the European Commission has also yet to achieve gender parity. Nine of the current 28 Commissioners are women.”
Impact on EU political representation
Appointments to ministerial portfolios and parliament committees
The situation at national, regional and local and regional levels shows similar levels of gender inequality, with on average 33.3 % of women in regional assemblies in the EU.
Portfolios in National Governments
EIGE data found significant gender differences in the portfolios held by senior ministers in national governments. Men were most often assigned high profile portfolios such as foreign and internal affairs, defense and justice (42.5 % vs 33.1 %), and finance and industry (24 % vs 15.1 %), while women were more likely to be given socio-cultural portfolios such as health, education or social affairs (43.2 % vs 19.9 %).
Women are fractionally less likely than men to be assigned to the committee they preferred
In the European Parliament, women currently chair 12 of the 22 standing committees including the committees on budgetary control, the internal market, security and defense and constitutional affairs. At the start of the current term, women were fractionally less likely than men to be assigned to the committee they preferred,
