The European Parliament has approved a set of recommendations urging the European Union to lead in promoting women's rights worldwide, especially against the increasing international opposition to gender equality.

These recommendations, finalized on Thursday, will shape the EU's stance at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in March 2025 in New York. The resolution, passing with 322 votes for, 163 against, and 46 abstentions, calls for the EU to reaffirm its commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a pivotal framework for gender equality often described as the 'international Bill of Rights for women.' MEPs denounced 'all efforts to reverse, restrict, or eliminate existing protections for gender equality,' noting the rise of anti-rights movements threatening progress from recent decades.

They stressed the need for the EU to lead by example, ensuring women's rights remain central to its external policy and supporting partner countries in combating gender discrimination.

The resolution highlights the EU's duty to promote equality not only within its borders but also globally. To achieve equal opportunities for women across all aspects of life, MEPs called for gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting in all relevant EU policy areas.

They emphasized the importance of better gender-disaggregated data collection for informed policymaking.

The resolution also pointed out the need to tackle the systemic causes of women's poverty, particularly in rural areas.

MEPs urged the EU to enforce equal pay and pensions, increase women's political representation, and ensure access to education, training, and work opportunities for women and girls.

They also advocated for more support for female entrepreneurship and economic independence. On healthcare, MEPs argued for comprehensive health services for all women, including reproductive health care, contraception, and safe and legal abortion.

They emphasized the need for a stronger response to gender-based violence, whether online, offline, domestic, sexual, physical, psychological, or economic.

MEPs called on all EU member states to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

They also recommended adopting a consent-based definition of rape as a universal standard across the EU, noting the significant impact of online gender-based violence on women’s mental health. Lina Gálvez (S&D, Spain), rapporteur and Chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, stressed the resolution's urgency.

'At the current pace, it will take 286 years to close the gaps in legal protection and eliminate discriminatory legislation for women globally,' she said.

'The European Parliament wants women's rights to be prioritized in all policy areas. This is increasingly important due to the global pushback against protecting women's rights, including sexual and reproductive rights.' The resolution reflects rising concerns about the deterioration of women's rights worldwide and the EU's potential to counteract this trend.

By advocating for stronger policies and international leadership, MEPs aim to ensure that gender equality remains a priority amid rising challenges.