The Benefits of Gender Equality for the European Economy

Promoting equal economic independence for women and men, closing the gender pay gap and advancing gender balance has increasingly been in the focus of attention for European policy makers. Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls are also among the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Realising these ambitions is indispensable to foster sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth. However, while significant progress was made, inequalities persist, and it is vital to further explore how to promote more equality between genders and in what ways these endeavours could stimulate economic prosperity in Europe.

The Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) decided to organise on 29 November 2019, starting at 11 a.m. a public debate "The Benefits of Gender Equality for the European Economy" with the aim to explore how policies aimed at achieving greater gender equality could help reinforce Europe's economic performance and what role the European civil society could play in supporting the development and implementation of these policies.