On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2024, COFACE Families Europe is calling on EU policymakers and employers to take concrete and effective measures to close the gender employment gap in the EU. Women’s participation in employment is significantly affected by motherhood, with negative consequences for their health, for families and the economy.
Unpaid care duties are key to gender gaps in the labour market. As illustrated in a report published by the European Commission, across the Member States, care responsibilities are equally shared between women and men only in about one-third of families. The interplay between labour market and household conditions may create vicious cycles.
Sexual and reproductive health and rights belong as much to persons with disabilities as to everyone else. Yet lack of knowledge and information often create barriers to access. Women and girls with disabilities also have a clearly higher risk of facing human rights violations such as forced sterilization or denied access to contraception.
To mark International Day of Families 2022, COFACE Families Europe launches #FamilyTeamWork, a joint campaign with Men Engage Eastern Europe & Central Asia, a UNFPA-led platform.
Violence against women and domestic violence are pervasive throughout the EU and are estimated to affect 1 in 3 women in the EU. On International Day of Women’s Rights, March 8th 2022, the European Commission presented EU-wide rules to combat violence against women and domestic violence.
Gender equality cannot only be an exclusive women’s affair, and thus needs to include the other half of the equation, men.
