On 5 March 2026, the European Commission adopted the Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030. The strategy addresses emerging challenges disproportionately affecting women, including gender‑based cyberviolence, anti‑gender narratives and risks connected to AI, and introduces actions across safety, health, employment, education and political participation.
Great attention is devoted to gender‑based violence. The Commission will reinforce the implementation of the Directive on Violence against Women, support Member States in national reforms, and address gender-based cyberviolence. EU‑wide guidelines will improve prevention, detection and prosecution. In health, it seeks to reduce gender gaps by promoting gender‑responsive medical training, improving access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and supporting research on women’s health needs. A new EU‑WHO initiative on women’s health and a study on the benefits of reducing the health gap will be launched. Concerning economic equality, the Commission will issue a toolkit on gender‑neutral job evaluation, support implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive, and promote gender‑smart financing, women’s entrepreneurship and financial literacy. On work‑life balance and care, the strategy encourages greater uptake of parental and carers’ leave by men and supports improvements in childcare and long‑term care systems. In employment, priorities will include reducing the gender employment gap, strengthening action against workplace sexual harassment, promoting gender‑fair AI systems and increasing women’s representation in underrepresented sectors. Measures will be adopted in education to counter stereotypes, expand girls’ access to STEM fields and boys’ access to HEAL professions. Further actions will promote women’s political participation, counter gender‑based disinformation and reinforce gender mainstreaming, gender‑responsive budgeting and data collection across EU policies.
Read the full strategy here