Key points
The EESC:
- underlines that success in enhancing gender equality in a sustainable way lies in nurturing a life-long gender equality culture (LLGEC) that goes through the whole life cycle and provides measures tailored to the specific characteristics and needs of every stage of life;
- calls on Member States, through their education policy, to enhance gender-neutral teaching with respect to both knowledge and social skills, as well as learning contexts free from gender stereotypes;
- recommends that Member States, supported by the Commission and the EESC, together with social partners and relevant civil society organisations, launch a wide-ranging awareness-raising and information campaign to promote LLGEC;
- is of the view that the removal of any obstacles for the overall participation of women in labour markets is crucial. In addition to legislative frameworks, the practical modalities should be laid down using the possibilities of collective bargaining between the social partners;
- finds it vital to promote women's leadership in businesses, public organisations and it calls on MSs, business organisations and social partners to launch training and mentoring programmes targeted at female leaders;
- believes that any obstacles to female entrepreneurship must also be removed. As access to finance is a prerequisite for entrepreneurship, equal access by women to both private financing and public funding must be ensured;
- calls for proper attention to be paid to gender equality when addressing the issue of Ukrainian refugees. This applies to support for children to access care and schooling, integration of women in labour markets via quality employment, and access to sexual and reproductive health services.