International Women’s Day: CESI welcomes new EU Roadmap for Women’s Rights

CESI welcomes the European Commission’s new Roadmap for Women’s Rights, presented on March 7 ahead of this year’s annual International Women’s Day. CESI commends the European Commission for its reinforced commitment to strengthening gender equality as a bedrock of democracy, competitiveness and social justice in Europe and calls to follow up on this with concrete measures.

Reflecting on the Commission’s Communication and its accompanying Declaration of Principles, CESI appreciates the Roadmap’s focus on multiple essential pillars and objectives related to women’s rights, among them in particular on equal pay and economic empowerment, a fair distribution of care responsibilities, access to leadership positions, and quality education and digital inclusion. These areas mirror CESI’s core priorities presented in its topical resolution towards the European Commission earlier this year, which underscored the need for concrete and enforceable measures beyond declarative commitments.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “The European Commission’s new Roadmap for Women’s Rights is a step forward for gender equality in Europe. We particularly welcome its comprehensive approach, from combating violence against women to tackling the persistent pay gap and the undervaluation of care work. This framework responds to urgent needs that CESI’s members have identified across Europe too. To ensure real, lasting change, Europe must now back its commitments with concrete legislative, financial, and policy tools – one-off statements will not suffice.”

In line with its previously stated policy priorities and building on the Commission’s proposed principles to protect women’s health, advance equal pay, bolster work-life balance and reinforce institutional mechanisms for mainstreaming gender equality, CESI advocates an expanded focus and concrete further measures on:

1. eliminating violence and harassment in the workplace, including sexual harassment, by reinforcing workplace prevention frameworks and ensuring victim protection.
2. closing the gender pay and pension gaps through robust enforcement of the EU pay transparency directive and enhanced social dialogue at the national and sectoral levels.
3. breaking glass ceilings by extending gender-balance measures beyond large stock-listed companies to encompass public administrations and senior management in all sectors.
4. recognising and distributing care responsibilities more fairly, with improved wages and working conditions in care professions, stronger measures for equal-sharing of family leaves and increased investments in accessible, high-quality childcare and long-term care.
5. promoting quality education and digital inclusion, including initiatives to increase female participation in STEM fields and combat algorithmic discrimination in recruitment processes.

CESI underscores that the success of the Roadmap will depend on continued collaboration between the European institutions, Member States, social partners and civil society. Gender budgeting, the effective use of European funds, and stronger support for trade unions and social dialogue at both EU and national levels will be crucial to translate principles into action.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger concluded: “By embracing the European Commission’s Roadmap for Women’s Rights, Europe can take an ambitious leap toward a future in which women are more empowered – economically, socially and politically. CESI stands ready to work with the EU institutions and Member States to ensure that the commitments laid out in the Roadmap become concrete realities in workplaces and societies across Europe.”