International Women’s Day: still a long way towards gender equality

In spite of the policy efforts and commitment to push further the gender equality agenda, an abundance of data and statistics show that only marginal progress has been made in the past years.

Vĕra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, added: "Gender equality is not just about women. It is about our society, our economy and our demography. We want to guarantee that women are truly equal to men in front of the law. We will also continue work to empower women, so they can make their own choices when it comes to their careers and their families."

The report shows that women still face challenges in different areas:

• While European women are better educated than men (44 % women aged 30-34 vs 34 % men got university degree in 2016), they remain largely under-represented in decision-making positions in companies and still earn 16 % less than men on average across the EU.
• Women are also under-represented in politics. In six countries (Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Hungary, and Malta) women represent less than 20 % of   parliament members.
• The gender gap in employment has stagnated for the last few years at around 11 percentage points. There has been no noteworthy catch-up between low and high performing Member States.
• 44 % of Europeans in average think that women should take care of their homes and families. In one third of EU Member States, it is no less than 70 % of Europeans who think so.
• Violence is still too wide-spread: One in three women in Europe has experienced either physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15. Also 55 % of women in the EU has experienced sexual harassment.

For more information

The 2018 report and Women's Day

• 2018 Annual Report on Gender Equality
• Press release on the report
• Joint statement on the occasion of International Women's Day
• Questions & Answers: What is the EU doing for women's rights and gender equality?

Gender Equality and combatting violence

• The Annual Fundamental Rights Colloquium on Women’s Rights in Turbulent Times addressed violence and harassment against women as well as the economic and political inequality between women and men, particularly focusing on the gender pay gap and on work-life balance
• The launch of Spotlight Initiative by the European Commission together with the United Nations addresses gender-based violence at global level.
• 2017 Gender Equality index
• Violence against women awareness-raising video
• No.non.nein campaign against violence against women

Women in Digital

• Study 'Women in the Digital Age'
• Initiative to increase women's participation in the digital sector
• European Institute for Gender Equality press release on the women in tech