European Pact for Gender Equality

The European Council has adopted a European Pact for gender equality to encourage action at member state and European Union levels in the following areas: closing gender gaps and combating gender stereotypes in the labour market; promoting a better work-life balance for all; improving governance through gender mainstreaming and putting in place gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation processes. Specific measures were highlighted, such as the need to focus in particular on education and sex-segregation in the labour market to combat gender stereotypes in employment; the importance of improving the provision of care facilities for children and other dependents to promote a better work-life balance; and the need to ensure that gender equality is taken into account in impact assessments of new European Union (EU) policies. It was agreed that this European Pact for gender equality should be integrated into specific strategies, initiatives and actions at EU level. Member states were also encouraged to include a gender perspective when reporting on the implementation of their objectives in economic growth and employment policies.