It is a pleasure to be here to discuss the Commissions priorities with the Committee on Womens Rights and Gender Equality. Thank you to the Honourable Members for your commitment to gender equality, which has led to significant achievements such as the Pay Transparency Directive and the Gender Balance Directive.
Key successes include the EUs accession to the Istanbul Convention, and directives on violence against women and equality bodies. The European Care Strategy and recommendations on childhood and long-term care are also pivotal.
The EU survey on gender-based violence highlighted its prevalence, forming part of the annual gender equality report. The EU leads globally in promoting gender equality, a core European value vital for stability and economic growth.
Gender equality can boost the economy by reducing skill shortages and enhancing GDP. Democracies with gender equality are more resilient. The upcoming Roadmap for Womens Rights will outline long-term goals and reinforce the EUs commitment to gender equality.
This Roadmap will guide policy and emphasize gender mainstreaming, ensuring public policies are inclusive. It will address current challenges, including digital opportunities and risks.
The Roadmap will inspire future strategies, focusing on principles like freedom from violence, economic empowerment, and political participation. It will not prescribe specific actions but will lay the foundation for future initiatives.
Additionally, I plan to address harmful practices and improve cooperation against online gender-based violence. Online harassment is a significant barrier to womens public participation. We must tackle this through initiatives like the updated Code of Conduct against hate speech.
Your support is crucial for advancing gender equality. I look forward to our dialogue on implementing the Womens Rights Roadmap.