The European Commission celebrated International Women’s Day by publishing a report on equality between women and men.
The 2017 Gender Equality Report shows an overview of legislation, actions, guidelines and funding possibilities that have contributed to progress on the matter in the EU but notes that progress isn’t equal among European Union member states. It also notes that women still face challenges, even with such progress.
“Europe is a pioneer of gender equality and that is something we should be proud of,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in an annoucement. “Be it in employment and occupation, vocational training, social security or access to goods and services: women and men have to be treated equally. That is the law. Unfortunately the road to effective equality still has some bumps ahead. That is why we cannot let up.”
Juncker also lauded his administration’s progress in becoming more equal.
“I made equality a cornerstone of the administration I lead, and I am proud that two years on we have made enormous strides in reaching the 40 percent female management target,” he said. “But if intolerance and chauvinism start to proliferate inside or outside our borders we have to push back twice as hard with a simple and thoroughly European message: gender equality is not an aspirational goal. It is a fundamental right.”
