The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV) supports a comprehensive, gender-sensitive and intersectional approach and funds actions aimed at mitigating the challenges encountered by specific groups and communities disproportionately impacted by discrimination. One of the strands of the programme promotes rights, non-discrimination, and equality, including gender equality, and advance gender mainstreaming.

Why is this strand so important?

In the European Union (EU), the Gender Equality Index of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) measures the progress every year in the EU and the Member States. The Gender Equality Index assigns scores from 1 to 100. For the first time, the EU has surpassed 70 points (70.2), although this figure still falls short if we consider that a score of 100 is the equivalent of full gender equality.

According to the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2025, more inclusion and more diversity are essential to bring forward innovative approaches that better serve a dynamic and flourishing EU society.

Examples of projects focused on gender equality supported by the CERV programme: 

• SPEAK OUT: Together for a safer circus
• Rewriting the story: Media, Gender, and Politics
• FULFIL: Protecting & Promoting Fundamental Rights of Migrant Women in Europe
• Town Twinning for Gender Equality
• Empowering Women and Promoting Gender Equality: European Women Lobby
• Ending Female Genital mutilation and Gender-based Violence
• Women in Resistance: Reshaping the narratives on Female Anti-totalitarian Resistance in Europe (WIRE) & Female Resistance in Germany and France against National Socialism (WEWIGENS)