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Since its creation in the 1950s, the European Economic Community, and today's European Union, has had the power to promote equality between women and men, in employment and other areas of life. EU action has driven significant progress, even if disparities peBriefing - EU gender equality policy: Beneficial for both women and men - 28-11-2024
Since its creation in the 1950s, the European Economic Community, and today's European Union, has had the power to promote equality between women and men, in employment and other areas of life. EU action has driven significant progress, even if disparities persist in many areas. To secure this progress, the EU has enabled Member States to implement positive action measures in favour of women and has adopted ground-breaking legislative and non-legislative measures, such as its recent legislation on gender-based violence. Although consensus on EU gender equality policy is long established, a minority array of civil society and political actors are increasingly voicing their opposition to some aspects of gender equality policy. Recent surveys in EU countries show that some citizens have also started questioning a policy that, in their view, has fulfilled its mission. However, perennial gender inequalities in many areas of life suggest that this is a hasty assumption. Fears that gender equality is a zero-sum game that disempowers men highlight a need to dispel misunderstandings about EU gender equality policy. The policy focuses on women as the primary subjects of sex-based discrimination but is formulated in gender-neutral language. Any discrimination is strictly forbidden, although the policy enables Member States to conduct positive action on behalf of women. The Court of Justice of the EU upholds rigorous enforcement of positive action, which has to remain exceptional, limited and non-discriminatory against men. Changing realities meanwhile suggest that men too can benefit from the data collection and the tools developed by the EU, for instance with regard to health and education. Here, some EU countries display the biggest gender gaps in life expectancy in the world, as well as a notable gap in tertiary educational attainment in favour of women. Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP Read more
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