Over the years, the Council of Europe's activities to promote the cause of women have taken a number of forms, such as legal measures, mobilising public opinion and training and research.

One of the main threads running through all these activities is the principle that there can be no lasting solution to the social, economic and political problems of society unless women are fully involved in the process.

Women's status, real equality, emancipation, sexually-related violence, the problem of women and disability and human trafficking are just some of the other aspects around which the Council of Europe has developed activities, such as awareness campaigns, all of which are intended to bolster legal equality of the sexes and make it a reality.

In 2009, women made up on average 28.6% of government ministers in Europe and 21.7% of members of parliament. This is slight progress compared with the 19.9% of women ministers in 2005, but there has been no change in their representation in national parliaments. Besides, the figures remain well below the 40% minimum recommended by the Council of Europe.

2023 edition
Council of Europe adopts Gender Equality Strategy for 2024-2029

The Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has adopted a new Gender Equality Strategy for 2024-2029. In line with the Reykjavik commitments of the Heads of State and Government, this Strategy will guide the organisation’s work towards gender equality over the next six years. Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić said that “adopting this new Gender Equality Strategy for 2024-2029 on the eve of International Women’s Day sends a very strong signal of our commitment”.

Addressing existing and emerging challenges, the new Strategy is structured around six objectives:

  • Preventing and combating gender stereotypes and sexism
  • Preventing and combating violence against women and girls and domestic violence
  • Ensuring equal access to justice for women and girls
  • Achieving balanced participation of women and men in political, public, social and economic life
  • Ensuring women’s empowerment and gender equality in relation to global and geopolitical challenges
  • Achieving gender mainstreaming and including an intersectional approach in all policies and measures

A high-level conference to formally launch the Strategy will be held in Strasbourg on 30 May, as part of the programme of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers.


 More women in politics, a shared battle

 Promoting greater gender equality in sport: Roundtable on how to combat discrimination against female referees

Council of Europe strasbourg 6 March 2024
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