29.11.2021
LET'S PUT GENDER EQUALITY FIRST
This article is authored by Josep Borel, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Utah Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships, and Svetlan Stoev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. It is supported by more than 30 foreign and international development ministers from EU member states. The text was reprinted by Dnevnik.
Rare are the situations in the world where the rights of women and girls are denied, as in Afghanistan. Recent developments are a matter of serious concern. The EU has made it clear that future EU development assistance to Afghanistan will depend on compliance with international human rights law and norms, including the rights of women and girls. The EU is committed and committed to continuing to support women and girls in Afghanistan and around the world, adhering to European values and beliefs.
Together with human rights, freedom and democracy, equality between men and women is one of the fundamental values that make the European Union what it is. It is a treasure for our societies and strengthens their resilience. Gender equality is at the heart of peace, security, economic prosperity and sustainable development. The protection and promotion of this basic principle is also enshrined in the EU Treaties.
That is why political, operational and financial work to promote and ensure progress in the field of gender equality is a political priority and a key objective for the EU. The EU Action Plan on Gender Equality 2021-2025 and the new EU External Action Budget provide a roadmap for global action and a world of equal opportunities. To achieve these goals, we work closely with multilateral, regional and bilateral partners, including civil society organizations. We have a long way to go and there is no room for complacency. However, together we are stronger, although many challenges still lie ahead.
In many countries, the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated existing gender inequalities in various areas such as education, vocational training, health, security and safety, sexual and reproductive health and rights, participation in decision-making and economic opportunities.
Due to restrictions on the spread of COVID-19, there has been an increase in cases of violence against women, in particular domestic violence, and women's and girls' access to sexual and reproductive health services has been limited. At the same time, women and girls bear a significant part of the burden of caring for others. Those working in the informal economy and in low-skilled jobs (most of whom are women), migrants and persons belonging to minority groups are at greater risk and face numerous and mixed forms of discrimination.
In addition, school closures put girls at increased risk of sexual exploitation, early pregnancy, child labor and forced marriages. The Malala Fund estimates that another 20 million girls are at risk of dropping out of school this year, bringing the total number of girls with no prospects of education to 150 million, equivalent to a third of the EU population.
A recent UN report states that in 2020, military budgets still exceed global health spending, even in a year marked by a pandemic. For COVID-19 recovery to be sustainable, we must redouble our efforts to promote gender equality.
Now is the time to do more
This challenge requires a global response and must be overcome now that we are building the future after the pandemic. The future in which we want our children and grandchildren to grow up in a more equal and diverse world, where equal opportunities are a reality. We need to tackle the root causes of gender inequality and gender-based discrimination in order to achieve lasting change.
During the pandemic, the European Union and its Member States, as well as European financial institutions, stood by women and girls around the world. Through Team Europe, we have already mobilized € 46 billion in support of more than 130 partner countries, with a focus on women and youth.
Examples of this are: in Nepal, we have helped one million girls and boys to continue their education by studying with the help of radio. In Togo, we supported the creation of a universal basic income scheme and the appointment of women to run new municipalities. Globally, the EU-UN Spotlight initiative has helped 650,000 women and girls avoid or deal with violence against them, and 880,000 men and boys have been trained on topics such as positive models of masculinity, non-violent conflict resolution and parenting.
However, greater and more effective action is needed to meet the growing challenges. This is the goal of the Action Plan on Gender Equality for the period 2021-2025 (GAP III). It promotes leadership and the full participation of women, girls and young people in political, economic, social and cultural life, as well as knowledge in the field of peace and security.
We are working for a new rise in human development
This plan is already being implemented with the help of the new Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe, worth € 79.5 billion, which will support the EU's external action over the next seven years.
Support for education, and in particular for girls' education, will play a central role. In the same way that it supports education in emergencies during a pandemic, the EU is working with partner countries to minimize its impact on children's education and well-being and to facilitate their safe return to school.
As Team Europe, we already provide more than half of global education aid. We will also increase funding to promote gender equality through quality education at all levels. Our joint commitment to transforming education for girls and boys in 90 countries and territories of € 1.7 billion for the Global Partnership for Education from July 2021 is part of this new beginning.
We are stepping up our efforts in all areas, from supporting the education and economic opportunities of women and girls to improving their access to sexual and reproductive health services. By 2025, 85% of new EU external action in all sectors will contribute to gender equality and women's empowerment.
This initiative is currently being finalized with partner countries on the basis of close consultations with civil society organizations, women's rights and youth activists.
We must resume the rise of human development and achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals without abandoning a single woman or girl.
It is crucial that we take the right action.
