Rarely in the world have women’s and
girls’ rights been challenged as they have in Afghanistan. The latest
developments give cause for great concern. The EU has made it clear that future
EU development assistance to Afghanistan will depend on the respect for the
international legal framework and for norms on human rights, including women’s
and girls’ rights. The EU is determined and committed to continue to support
the women and girls of Afghanistan and worldwide, sticking to our values and
beliefs.
اضافة اعلان
Together with human rights, freedom and
democracy, equality represents one of the core values that make the EU what it
is. It enriches our societies and strengthens their resilience. Gender equality
is a core part of peace, security, economic prosperity and sustainable
development. Moreover, defending and promoting gender equality is enshrined in
and required by the EU treaties.
That is why working politically,
operationally and financially to promote and safeguard progress on gender
equality is a political priority and a key objective for the EU. The EU Gender
Action Plan III and the new EU external action budget provide a roadmap for
global action toward a gender-equal world. We work closely together with multilateral,
regional and bilateral partners, including civil society organizations, to
achieve those objectives. We still have a long way to go; there is no room for
complacency. However, we are stronger together while many challenges remain.
In many countries, the COVID-19 crisis has
exacerbated existing gender inequalities across different areas: education,
vocational training, health, security and safety, sexual and reproductive
health and rights, decision making and economic opportunities.
The COVID-19 lockdowns have often seen an
increase in gender-based violence, in particular domestic violence, while women
and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health services has been reduced.
At the same time, a significant part of the care burden has fallen on women and
girls. Workers
in the informal economy and in low-skilled jobs (most of whom are women),
migrants and those belonging to minorities have been more at risk and face
multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
Moreover, school closures have exposed
girls to an increased risk of sexual exploitation, early pregnancy, child labor
and forced marriage. The Malala Fund estimates that 20 million more girls risk
dropping out of school, adding up to a total of 150 million girls — equivalent
to a third of the EU population — without educational prospects.
According to a recent UN report, military
spending in 2020 still outplaced the worldwide expenses on health, even in a
year that was dominated by the corona pandemic. For a sustainable recovery from
the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to redouble our efforts to promote gender
equality.
Now is the time to
do more
This challenge requires a global response
and needs to be tackled now, when we are building the future we wish for our
children and grandchildren to grow up in a post-pandemic world that is more
equal, more diverse and where equal opportunities are a reality. We need to address
the root causes of gender inequality and gender-based discrimination in order
to achieve sustainable change.
The EU and its member
states, as well as the European financial institutions, have stood with the
women and girls of the world throughout the pandemic. As Team Europe, we have already
mobilized 46 billion euros (JD36.5 billion) in support of over 130 partner
countries, with a particular focus on women and youth.
Three examples as an illustration: In
Nepal, we helped one million girls and boys continue their education through radio-based
learning. In Togo, we supported the creation of a universal income scheme and
the appointment of women to head new municipalities. Worldwide, the EU-UN
Spotlight Initiative has helped 650,000 women and girls prevent or address
violence against them, and educated 880,000 men and boys on positive
masculinity, non-violent conflict resolution and parenting.
Still, to meet the growing challenges, we need
to do more and better. That is the purpose of the Gender Action Plan III. It promotes
leadership and meaningful participation of women, girls and young people in
political, economic, social and cultural life, as well as in all matters related
to peace and security, worldwide.
Working to get
human development back on track
We are now making this plan a reality with
the help of the new 79.5 billion euros (JD63 billion) NDICI-Global Europe
instrument that will support the EU’s external action for the next seven years.
Support for education,
and particularly girls’ education, will have a central role. Just as we
support education in emergencies, the EU has worked with partner countries throughout
the pandemic to minimize its impact on learning and the well-being of children,
and to facilitate a safe return to school.
We already provide more than half of all
global aid to education as Team Europe. But we will increase funding further,
to promote gender equality through quality education at all levels. Our joint 1.7
billion euros (JD1.3 billion) pledge to the Global Partnership for Education in
July — to transform education for
girls and boys in up to 90 countries and territories — is part of this
new beginning.
We are multiplying our efforts across the
board, from supporting women and girls’ education and economic opportunities to
improving their access to sexual and reproductive health services. By 2025, 85
per cent of all the EU’s new external actions — across all sectors — will
contribute to gender equality and women's empowerment.
This is now being finalized with our partner
countries based on close consultation with civil society organizations, women's
rights activists and youth.
We need to put human development back on
track and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, leaving no woman
or girl behind.
It is crucial we get it right.
This
article was authored by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy Josep Borrell, European
Commissioner Jutta
Urpilainen, and 24 EU ministers of foreign affairs and development on
the occasion of the first anniversary of the Gender Action Plan III and the International Day for the Elimination of
Violence against Women.
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