EU advancing its agenda on women’s rights… so should cooperatives across Europe  

On 7 March, prior to International Women’s Rights Day, the European Commission unveiled its new Roadmap for Women’s Rights. The roadmap included, in the annex, a declaration of eight principles for a gender-equal society, addressing the need for action in many areas of life such as freedom from gender-based violence, health, economic empowerment, equal pay and employment opportunities, adequate working conditions or political participation and representation. 

While the roadmap does not introduce any new legislative measures, it will serve as a compass to guide future EU actions, particularly for the upcoming gender equality strategy from 2026, as well as EU external action.   

This document was released at a strategic time, just a couple of days before the highly anticipated 69th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), and will inform the EU’s position for the event. Held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from March 10 to 21, the CSW69 focused on reviewing and assessing the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, considered as the most comprehensive and transformative global agenda for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. 

On the occasion, cooperatives managed to be part of the discussions during a side event of the CSW69 on “collectively transforming care systems with a multi-sectoral approach” which highlighted the model as an innovative way to empower communities and women while transforming care systems as well.

Read more about it in the latest edition of our newsletter.

This month has been marked by the EU and many stakeholders committing to advancing their agenda on women’s rights, and so should cooperatives across Europe! In line with our strategic lighthouse on Gender Equality, Cooperatives Europe is therefore launching next month its Focus Group on Gender Equality & Diversity. 

What is the Gender Equality & Diversity Focus Group? 

The Focus Group (FG) on Gender and Diversity aims at creating a space for interested cooperative members to freely engage with both cooperative and external experts on different topics related to Gender and Diversity. It aims at fostering an open dialogue, sharing knowledge and good practices, collecting data for dissemination and feeding into the Gender & Diversity activities of Cooperatives Europe. The first meeting of this Focus Group will take place in May 2025 on the topic of gender inclusive leadership.  

Stay tuned for more information coming soon!  

In the meantime, if you are interested in participating or would like to recommend an expert, please contact us at [email protected]  

Find EU’s Roadmap for Women’s Right here 

Find the 2025 Report on Gender Equality here 

This article has been co-funded by the European Union. The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of  Cooperatives Europe and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.