Returning home after sunset, a woman removes her headphones, lowers her hood, and keeps an eye on each man she passes. She cannot stop thinking about the man who followed her home and attacked her. She is 1 in 3 women to have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in the past 12 months and to have told no one.

Meanwhile, a group of women walk back from a march for women’s rights. Some men walk past yelling and gesturing from across the street. Because one in six men still consider it acceptable to catcall women.

For many women in Europe, these stories are unfortunately all too familiar. So too is the fact that more than 60% of the time women are the ones doing the daily cooking and/or housework. This shows that progress towards gender equality remains far too slow. There are still countless structural discriminatory norms in our societies that need to be addressed and overcome.

That is why today, ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, the European Commission is reinforcing its commitment to gender equality, with a long-term vision for progress. With the new Roadmap for Women’s Rights, the Commission plans to further pave the way towards:

• freedom from gender-based violence
• the highest standards of health
• equal pay and economic empowerment
• work-life balance and care
• equal employment opportunities and adequate working conditions
• quality and inclusive education
• political participation and equal representation
• institutional mechanisms that deliver on women’s rights

The Roadmap aims to build on the significant progress achieved under the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025. Thanks to this strategy, historic progress has been made in the EU over the past five years, with rules on pay transparency, gender balance on company boards, and on combating violence against women. The 2025 Report on Gender Equality in the EU – which was also published today – provides a more detailed overview of this progress and where more action is needed.

For more information

Press release: Commission unveils its Roadmap to strengthen women’s rights

Roadmap for Women’s Rights

Annual Report on Gender Equality

Actions for gender equality

Gender equality strategy

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