Questions for reflection
- What is the situation of women in European Union countries? Is gender discrimination a myth or a fact?
- How does EU law seek to promote equality between women and men?
- What are some examples of actions that can be taken to promote equal treatment of women and men?
In stage 1 of Kurt Lewin’s change process- unfreezing, it is very important to make people aware of the problem, communicate the losses associated with it, and the benefits that will result from changing the existing state of affairs.
To do this, you need specific facts and data.
Sample data statistics on the situation of women in the European Union (links to reports with detailed data can be found in the resources section)
Source: A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025
In the EU Gender Equality Index for 2022, the EU scored 68.6/100. “Work” and “knowledge” are still the areas with the greatest inequalities.
- Wages – gender pay gap
In the EU, the gap narrowed from 16% to around 12.7% between 2012 and 2022. In 2023, the average pay gap in the EU was 12%, meaning that women earned on average €88 for every €100 earned by men. The situation varies, of course, from country to country. In 2021, women in Estonia earned around 21% of what men earned, and in the Czech Republic, around 18% less.
- Employment
In the third quarter of 2024, employment among men was 80.9%, while among women it was only 70.9%. Statistics that take into account the role of parents are also important. The employment rate for women with children (aged 25–54) is around 73%, while for men with children it is 90%. This is related both to the perception of the role of women as mothers and to the wage policy shown above.
Research also shows that women are underrepresented in senior management positions. They account for approximately 35% of management staff and less than 10% of CEOs.
- Education
For years, studies have shown that women are statistically better educated than men. 83% of young women in the EU complete at least secondary education, compared to only 77.6% of men. Women account for 60% of higher education graduates in the EU. The extent to which education translates into a subsequent professional career is related, among other things, to the field of study completed. Women predominate in fields related to health, social work, education and the humanities. In science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, women account for approximately 31% of graduates.
This situation has negative consequences for both individual women and socio-economic development. Women experience, among other things, a decline in commitment to work, stress, depression, and low self-esteem. At the social level, gender discrimination has a negative impact on demographics (women decide not to have children for fear of hindering their professional development) and economic development (failure to utilise women’s potential in the economy).
EU law
Actions in the 19th and 20th centuries
The issue of women’s right to equal treatment with men began to be discussed in Europe in the mid-19th century. Women themselves played an important role in this. Numerous women’s movements and organisations, including emancipationists and suffragettes, demanded that women (and not just men) also have the right to enjoy the privileges of a democratic state.
At the end of the 19th century, compulsory primary education was introduced for girls. It was not until 1848 that the University of London was one of the first to open its doors to women.
The 20th century was undoubtedly a period of success for women. This was reflected, among other things, in the granting of voting rights in Europe. It should be remembered that the right to vote is a relatively recent achievement for women – in Portugal, they only obtained it in 1974. We are still learning to exercise this right.
Women had the right to work if they wanted to, but they had to do so alongside their domestic duties. During this period, the perception of women as less valuable workers also became entrenched.
The world wars increased the participation of women in the labour market, mainly in industry. After World War II, there was progress in formal equality and women’s access to education and work, including in management positions. However, full equality has not been achieved.
The role of the European Union in building equal rights for women and men
The establishment of the European Community brought about significant changes in gender equality. The aim of European gender equality policy is to create a Union in which women and men, in all social groups, have equal opportunities for development, freedom to choose their lifestyle, and equal participation in social and political life.
Many measures have been taken over the years to achieve this, including:
- The Treaty of Rome (1957) included a provision on equal pay for equal work (Article 119).
- The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) recognised gender equality as a priority for the EU and introduced articles enabling anti-discrimination measures and promoting so-called positive action.
- Gender mainstreaming (1996) – a policy of incorporating a gender perspective into all EU activities. It requires an assessment of whether decisions are beneficial and fair to both women and men.
- European Care Strategy (2022), supporting women’s participation in the labour market.
- Formal accession of the EU to the Convention on preventing violence against women (2023).
- Organisation of the #EndGenderStereotypes campaign to combat stereotypes about gender roles in work, family, and education (2023).
- Adoption of a directive to ensure equal pay for equal work (2023).
A Eurobarometer survey conducted in December 2024 showed that despite positive perceptions of gender equality, stereotypes remain widespread and vary across regions and generations. IN MARCH 2025, THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ADOPTED A PLAN OF ACTION FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS, setting out long-term goals to combat discrimination, violence, and prejudice. In it, the Commission calls on EU institutions, Member States, and civil society to work together to promote gender equality.
We owe our current position to the efforts of many women!
Examples of systemic measures to counteract discrimination and unequal treatment on grounds of gender
Gender Equality Index https://eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/2024
Feminist self-defence women https://slagtog.org/en/feminist-self-defense/
Autonomes Frauenzentrum Potsdam e.V., https://frauenzentrum-potsdam.de
Feminist Fund https://femfund.pl/en/
European Institute for Gender Equality https://eige.europa.eu/publications-resources/toolkits-guides
✅ Do you know what the situation is in your country or region in terms of equal pay, employment, or education? Check out these figures, they may provide you with important arguments for your advocacy work.