Strengthening Economic & Social Rights & Empowering Women & Girls
In order to be economically independent, women and men in all their diversity should have equal opportunities, equal access to employment, decent work, equal pay for equal work. Furthermore, women and men should equally share care responsibilities and have access to adequate social protection, public services, and financial and business opportunities.
In addition, women and girls also need to have access to enabling conditions, such as access to safe, affordable and accessible public transport and other mobility options, both in rural and urban areas.
The EU promotes gender equality in education
Global progress in gender parity in primary and secondary school enrolment have not yet eliminated gender gaps in schooling and learning.
Girls’ access to education is limited by the lack of progress on ensuring their SRHR [LINK], by unsafe learning environments and by the lack of appropriate sanitation facilities. Lack of access to schools further increases the gaps for girls with disabilities. Gender stereotypes limit girls’ aspirations for science and engineering careers and discourage boys from pursuing jobs in the care sector. They also prevent women from advancing to leadership positions, including in education, even though most teachers are women.
A shift is needed to move beyond gender parity in numbers, and focus on how the education system can advance gender equality.
The EU promotes universal access to health
Public health systems receive insufficient funding, strongly affecting the services provided to girls and women. The COVID-19 crisis has further compromised essential healthcare services and access to safe medicines and vaccines, leading to an increase in maternal deaths and unintended pregnancies. Women and girls with disabilities are at heightened risk due to inaccessible information on prevention and assistance and acute barriers to accessing health or basic water, sanitation and hygiene services. Sustained funding of universal health coverage, including SRHR services, is more important than ever.
