Text · Report parliamentary committee draft

On EU Gender Action Plan IV – priorities for gender equality and women’s rights in external action

Document CJ07-PR-791053 · 2026/2039(INI)

Kind: Report parliamentary committee draft CJ07-PR-791053
Date: 2 September 2026
Committee: Committee on Development Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
Rapporteur: Abir Al-Sahlani, Paulo do Nascimento Cabral
Dossier: 2026-2039

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Subject matter: DDLH, DFON
Reference: 2026/2039(INI)

Formats: Official page PDF Word
Subject matter: DDLH, DFON
Reference: 2026/2039(INI)

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Motion for a european parliament resolution

(2026/2039(INI))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to Articles 2, 3 and 21 of the Treaty on European Union,

–having regard to Articles 8 and 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in particular to Article 23 thereof,

–having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2026 entitled ‘Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030’ (COM(2026)0113),

–having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 25 November 2020 entitled ‘EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – An ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action’ (JOIN(2020)0017),

–having regard to the joint report from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 20 November 2023 entitled ‘Joint mid-term report on the implementation of the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP III)’ (JOIN(2023)0036),

–having regard to the joint statement of 30 June 2017 by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission entitled ‘The New European Consensus on Development – “Our world, our dignity, our future”’1,

–having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, amending and repealing Decision No 466/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/20092,

–having regard to the Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian aid3,

–having regard to the Commission proposal of 16 July 2025 for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Global Europe (COM(2025)0551),

–having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 25 March 2020 entitled ‘EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024’ (JOIN(2020)0005), further extended until 2027,

–having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 1 December 2021 entitled ‘The Global Gateway’ (JOIN(2021)0030),

–having regard to the Commission communication of 13 May 2026 entitled ‘Reinforcing global health resilience amid geopolitical change’ (COM(2026)0197),

–having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 27 May 2026 entitled ‘Defending values, driving reform, delivering impact: the EU’s humanitarian action in a shifting global order’ (JOIN(2026)0025),

–having regard to the EU action plan on women, peace and security (WPS) 2019-2024 of 4 July 2019,

–having regard to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 18 December 1979,

–having regard to the UN Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action of 15 September 1995, and to the outcomes of its review conferences,

–having regard to the UN General Assembly Resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015 entitled ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, and to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included therein,

–having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 on women, peace and security and to all subsequent related resolutions,

–having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) of 11 May 2011,

–having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the joint deliberations of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality under Rule 59 of the Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Foreign Affairs,

–having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A10-0000/2026),

A.whereas gender equality is a fundamental right and core value of the European Union enshrined in the Treaties;

B.whereas progress on SDG 5 on Gender Equality is moving at an insufficient pace; whereas SDG 5 is a catalyst for achieving the 2030 Agenda;

C.whereas the global backlash against women’s rights and gender equality, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and LGBTIQ rights, risks reversing progress made and constitutes a threat to democratic resilience and sustainable development, and has resulted in funding cuts and limited access to essential services for women;

D.whereas gender-based violence is one of the most widespread and severe human rights violations globally; whereas conflict-related sexual violence, which is a war crime, is increasing;

E.whereas women face intersecting discrimination based on sex, race, ethnic or social origins, religion or belief, disability, health, socio-economic background, birth status, age, class, displacement status and sexual orientation;

F.whereas in 2024 less than 6 % of official development assistance (ODA) was dedicated to gender equality, and only 0.3 % to women’s rights organisations; whereas aid cuts in 2025 decreased funding for gender equality4;

G.whereas women-led organisations are crucial humanitarian actors, but two in five of them are expected to shut down within a year due to funding cuts;

H.whereas the women, peace and security agenda is at the core of the EU’s peace and security policy but remains limited in its implementation worldwide;

I.whereas investing in gender equality could add USD 13 trillion to global GDP by 20305;

J.whereas GAP III has elevated gender equality as a strategic priority in the EU’s external action but implementation remains uneven between regions and sectors;

K.whereas GAP III has contributed to increased protection against gender-based violence, promoting women’s and girls’ participation in public and political life and improving their access to quality education, health and social protection;

L.whereas the Commission has made significant progress in reaching the gender targets of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe;

Implementing SDG 5

1.Recalls the EU’s commitment to advancing SDG 5;

From efficient implementation to EU commitment

2.Calls on the Commission to adopt an ambitious GAP IV that elevates gender equality and women’s rights as a priority in the EU’s external action with robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms;

3.Underlines the need for a coordinated implementation approach by the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Member States, through the Team Europe approach;

4.Calls for the strengthening of meaningful partnerships with local women’s organisations and a dedicated funding target of 5 % of ODA for them;

5.Calls for the maintenance of the target requiring 85 % of all new external actions to have gender equality as a significant or principal objective, with at least 5 % having it as a principal objective, and for adequate funding to be ensured;

6.Calls for a further strengthening of the three-pronged approach comprising gender mainstreaming, targeted actions and political and policy dialogue, and for a human-rights based, gender-responsive and disability inclusive approach;

7.Calls for adequate gender expertise and enhanced gender-responsive leadership to support implementation;

Eliminating all forms of gender-based violence

8.Calls for action to be taken to prevent and eliminate all forms of gender-based violence and to combat impunity;

9.Calls for increased international cooperation to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation;

10.Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence;

Ensuring access to healthcare services for women, including for sexual and reproductive health

11.Calls on the EU to facilitate access to sexual and reproductive health services, keeping a focus on SRHR and ensuring adequate funding for it; expresses concern that SRHR programming has been heavily impacted by funding cuts;

12.Calls for actions to be taken to reduce inequalities between women and men in terms of access to quality healthcare;

13.Calls for the EU to support accessible and quality maternal health services, and to invest in HIV prevention and treatments for women;

Promoting women’s empowerment, economic and social rights and equality

14.Calls for GAP IV to promote women’s economic empowerment and for measures to enhance women’s employability, entrepreneurship and access to economic opportunities;

15.Calls for a comprehensive approach to ensuring girls’ access to quality education and training;

Advancing women’s full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership

16.Expresses concern that women remain under-represented at all levels of political and public life; calls for strengthened political engagement and targeted programmes to promote their full, equal and meaningful participation;

17.Calls for EU action to be taken to promote safe civic spaces for women and for women’s organisations and related organisations;

Accelerate the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda

18.Calls for the full implementation of the WPS agenda as a response to the current geopolitical and security context, and for the adoption of a renewed EU WPS action plan;

19.Stresses the important contributions made by women and women’s organisations to promoting peace; calls for the EU to promote the full, equal and meaningful participation of women at all stages of peace processes;

20.Reiterates the need to prevent and combat conflict-related sexual violence;

A gender-responsive Global Gateway strategy

21.Calls for a special focus on how to enhance gender equality through Global Gateway operations;

22.Encourages the EU to engage with development finance institutions to integrate women’s rights in all relevant stages of the Global Gateway investment cycle;

Building a green and digital society

23.Calls for support for women’s contribution to and participation in agriculture, in the action against climate change and biodiversity loss;

24.Calls for women and girls to be given improved access to digital tools and skills and to promote their participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics;

Promoting women’s rights and preventing backsliding

25.Calls for specific measures to counter the global gender equality backlash and to ensure that there are no EU funds going towards objectives that are against gender equality;

Creating a strong partnership for gender equality

26.Calls for the EU to leverage its diplomatic engagement and strategic partnerships in the multilateral arena to maintain gender equality on the global political agenda;

27.Reiterates that intergenerational dialogue and the commitment and engagement of men and boys to gender equality are crucial;

° °

28.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Back matter, 2

Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.

Explanatory statement 33 blocks

Across the world, women and girls continue to face discrimination, violence, exclusion from decision-making and unequal access to healthcare, education, decent work, finance and digital tools. These inequalities are exacerbated for those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, and for women and girls living in poverty, conflict and displacement.

The progress we have made is now under threat. A global backlash against women’s rights, gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and services and LGBTIQ rights is shrinking civic space and weakening the capacity of those defending human rights. Global funding cuts are removing the very services on which women and girls rely. Without a unified, accelerated action, 351 million women and girls will still live in extreme poverty by 2030.

No society can be peaceful, prosperous or resilient when women and girls are denied their rights or excluded from public life. Gender equality is a precondition for sustainable development, democracy, stability and shared prosperity. The Union must therefore continue to use its external action to defend women’s rights and to promote a more equal world.

The upcoming Gender Action Plan IV provides the opportunity to renew that commitment. The Commission and the High Representative are preparing GAP IV as a Joint Communication for 2028–2034, building on the experience and success of GAP III, with indicative adoption in the first quarter of 2027. This should be a political instrument that places gender equality and women’s rights across EU external action, not just a technical exercise.

1.A renewed response to global inequality and backlash

Eliminating violence against women and girls

Gender-based violence remains one of the clearest and most extreme indicators of inequality. It takes many forms: domestic and intimate-partner violence, sexual violence, trafficking, exploitation, harmful practices, harassment both online and offline. It deprives women and girls of their freedom, safety, health and ability to participate fully in society.

Violence against women is a human-rights violation and a threat to democratic life and public safety. GAP IV should support prevention, survivor-centred protection and services, access to justice, accountability and the fight against impunity. It must also address online violence and the misuse of the digital space and technologies against women and girls.

Conflict intensifies these challenges. Women and girls are disproportionately exposed to conflict-related sexual violence, while survivors frequently face stigma and perpetrators evade accountability. In 2025, the United Nations verified 9,788 cases of conflict-related sexual violence, while stressing that the true scale is likely higher because violations remain underreported.

Sexual and reproductive health and services

Women and girls cannot be fully empowered unless they can exercise autonomy over their bodies and have access to quality, accessible and affordable sexual and reproductive health services: it is a matter of human rights, public health, equality and dignity. It is central to reducing preventable maternal mortality, addressing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and ensuring that women and girls can make informed decisions about their lives.

The current funding crisis makes this commitment more urgent. Cuts to maternal and newborn-health programmes and cuts to SRHR services risk reversing progress in fragile and humanitarian contexts. GAP IV must continue to strongly commit, politically and financially, to sexual and reproductive health and services, maternal healthcare, HIV prevention and treatment, and services for women and girls affected by crisis and displacement.

Education, economic empowerment and meaningful participation

Access to education, healthcare and decent work are the foundations of women’s autonomy. Yet women and girls still encounter barriers to quality education and training, land and productive resources, finance, social protection, entrepreneurship development opportunities and formal employment. These inequalities are not only unjust; they prevent societies from making full use of the skills, ideas and leadership of half their population.

GAP IV should promote women’s economic empowerment throughout EU external action. It should support decent work, equal opportunities, women-led businesses, access to finance and productive resources, and the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care work. Girls’ access to quality education and training must remain central, including in contexts of poverty, conflict and displacement.

2.A programme for mobilising governments, institutions and civil society

Implementation, monitoring and funding

GAP III made gender equality a central pillar of EU external action, but implementation has been uneven.

GAP III had a target of at least 85% of all new external actions with gender as a significant or principal objective, and a minimum of 5% with gender equality as principal objective; Therefore, GAP IV must maintain gender equality as a significant or principal objective and corresponding funding commitments.

However, targets alone are not enough. GAP IV needs thorough data and monitoring; gender-specific and sex-disaggregated indicators; transparent reporting on results; adequate resources; and clear responsibility at all levels. The experience of GAP III shows why this matters: country-level planning has advanced, but gender-data reporting, training, leadership and gender-focal-point arrangements remain incomplete.

Local women’s rights organisations, grassroots organisations and women human-rights defenders are not merely implementing partners. They are agents of change, often working on the frontline of humanitarian response, peacebuilding, service provision and democratic participation. GAP IV should guarantee their meaningful involvement, from country analysis and programming to monitoring and evaluation, and should protect the civic space in which they operate.

Women, Peace and Security

The Women, Peace and Security agenda must be at the heart of the EU’s response to the current geopolitical and security context. Women are not only victims of conflict; they are mediators, peacebuilders, community leaders and defenders of human rights. Peace processes cannot be credible or sustainable if women are absent from the negotiating table and excluded from decisions about their own communities.

GAP IV should therefore fully integrate the WPS agenda into political dialogue, programming and security policy. It should promote women’s full, equal and meaningful participation at every stage of peace processes, strengthen prevention and accountability for conflict-related sexual violence, and ensure that women and girls in conflict and displacement retain access to protection, education, healthcare and economic opportunities.

3.A gender-responsive Global Gateway and a sustainable future

The Global Gateway must become a genuine driver of gender equality. EU investments in infrastructure, energy, transport, health, education, research, digitalisation and value chains should not only be considered by their economic returns, but also whether they take into account women’s rights, participation and access to opportunities.

Development finance institutions and private-sector partners have an important role to play, but investment must not reproduce existing inequalities. GAP IV should ensure that gender equality is integrated throughout the Global Gateway investment cycle where relevant, including project design, financing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It should support women’s access to decent work, finance, entrepreneurship, energy, care services and leadership in emerging sectors.

Green and digital transitions

For the green and digital transitions to be successful, we need to ensure that women participate fully in shaping them. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change, environmental degradation and displacement, yet they are also leaders in agriculture, biodiversity protection, climate adaptation and community resilience.

The digital transition offers new opportunities, but it can also deepen exclusion. Women and girls need equal access to digital tools, skills, education and employment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They must also be protected from online abuse, surveillance, discrimination and gender bias in emerging technologies. GAP IV should ensure that the green and digital dimensions of EU external action are gender-responsive, and rights-based.

Conclusion

The European Union has both a legal duty and a political responsibility to defend gender equality and women’s rights in its external action. GAP IV should build on the progress of GAP III while responding honestly to its limitations and to the increasingly difficult global context. This requires more than declarations of principle. It requires political leadership, adequate funding, strong accountability, meaningful partnerships with local women’s organisations, and the consistent integration of gender equality into diplomacy, development, humanitarian aid, trade, investment, security and climate policy.

Gender equality will not be achieved by women and girls alone. Men and boys, public institutions, civil society, international organisations and the private sector all have a responsibility to challenge discriminatory norms, practices and structures. GAP IV must be the Union’s renewed commitment to ensure that women and girls, in all their diversity, can live free from violence, exercise their rights, shape decisions and determine their own futures.

Annex: declarations of input 5 blocks

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he included in his report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the draft report, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register1, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

Table from the text: 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the
1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register
CONCORD Europe - CONCORD is the European Confederation of NGOs working on sustainable development and international cooperation.
European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights.
International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network.
2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies
None

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

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European Parliament (2026). “DRAFT REPORT on EU Gender Action Plan IV – priorities for gender equality and women’s rights in external action”. Text, 2 September 2026. docId CJ07-PR-791053. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/CJ07-PR-791053 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/CJ07-PR-791053 (CC BY 4.0).

BibTeX

@misc{epw-text-cj07-pr-791053,
  author = {{European Parliament}},
  title = {{DRAFT REPORT on EU Gender Action Plan IV – priorities for gender equality and women’s rights in external action}},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-02},
  howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/CJ07-PR-791053}},
  url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/CJ07-PR-791053},
  urldate = {2026-09-25},
  publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
  note = {Text. docId CJ07-PR-791053. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}