Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

Change 2

Removed11. Applauds communities that embrace their women-led local farming, and traditional craftworks such as those fostered by local housewives associations, monuments and museums, all of which serve to foster tourism and social pride within the local community;

Added36. Applauds communities that preserve local heritage and tradition, and that promote and embrace initiatives enhancing women-led local farming, as well as the preservation and promotion of traditional craftworks, often developed and maintained by local women’s associations, including rural women’s organisations, cultural groups, monuments and museums; recognises that these activities make an essential contribution to economic diversification, the preservation of cultural and intangible heritage, the strengthening of sustainable tourism, and foster cultural recognition within the local community, which is an often unseen and undervalued dimension of rural economies; stresses, further, that the active involvement of women in these practices reinforces social cohesion, territorial identity and the attractiveness of rural areas;

Removed12. Highlights the socio-economic potential of traditional crafts and circular local economies, especially for elderly women; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support intergenerational entrepreneurship and craft-based value chains through training, funding and visibility actions;

Added37. Underlines the role of organised women farmers’ and rural women’s associations as the backbone of entrepreneurial, social and cultural development in rural areas; calls for these organisations to be structurally strengthened and involved in the implementation of gender equality measures, in particular in the delivery of training and mentoring programmes, healthcare and start-up advice;

Removed13. Encourages the promotion of lifelong learning, recognition of prior learning, and digital inclusion for elderly women in rural areas;

Added38. Highlights the huge potential of traditional crafts and local circular economies, especially for women in precarious circumstances including elderly women, women with disabilities, migrant women and women living in poverty; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support intergenerational and multicultural entrepreneurship and craft-based value chains through training, funding and visibility actions;

Removed14. Calls for greater support in maintaining centuries-old handicraft traditions such as weaving, embroidery and pottery, as has been fostered by numerous rural housewives associations;

Added39. Emphasises that many women-led businesses in rural areas are small-scale and often based on multiple activities and on the multifunctionality of agriculture, e.g. combining agriculture with tourism, crafts or social services; calls for support programmes that explicitly take these combinations into account;

RemovedFarming

Added40. Underlines how women, through their involvement in the crafting of traditional garments, embroidery, weaving, and their knowledge of local materials and patterns passed down through generations, serve to keep cultural heritage alive while adding their own creativity and innovation; recognises that women’s contribution not only sustains techniques but also inspires new generations to value authenticity, quality and identity in fashion for women in all their diversity;

Removed15. Stresses the need to promote the visibility, recognition and appreciation of women’s contribution in agriculture, including on family-run farms; calls for gender-equal access to land, common agricultural policy (CAP) funds, advisory services, innovation support and succession rights;

Added41. Encourages the promotion of lifelong learning programmes targeting women in rural areas and ensuring continuous opportunities to update knowledge and acquire new skills; stresses the importance of formally recognising prior learning in order to value experience gained outside of formal educational contexts and to facilitate integration or reintegration into the labour market; recommends, also, the implementation of specific digital inclusion initiatives for elderly women in rural and remote areas and outermost regions, aiming to reduce the generational and territorial digital divide, while strengthening their autonomy, social participation and full inclusion in the digital transition;

Removed16. Encourages the Member States to collect gender-disaggregated data on land ownership, agricultural leadership and the informal contributions of women;

Added42. Notes that grassroots efforts not only sustain time-honoured agricultural methods and artisanal crafts but also serve as vibrant expressions of cultural heritage, often paying homage to women and girls’ accomplishments for community and humanity at large;

Removed17. Calls for measures that support young female farmers, as generational renewal is key to maintaining agricultural activity, which ensures both food security and vibrant rural communities;

Added43. Stresses the importance of promoting lifelong learning opportunities in rural areas, in order to promote a positive standard of mental health among elderly rural women;

Removed18. Calls for greater inclusivity within rural areas, and for resilient and well-connected areas that provide secure, high-quality products and services for the wider society;

Added44. Calls for more visible examples that showcase the talents and dedication of women artisans and farmers, as these communities create unique attractions that draw tourists, thereby generating sustainable economic opportunities and tangible examples of rural, cultural legacies;

RemovedEqual access to infrastructure and services

Added45. Calls for greater support in maintaining centuries-old handicraft traditions, such as weaving, embroidery, pottery, artisanal food production and on-farm food processing, as well as local value chains and agritourism, as has been fostered by numerous, rural women-led associations; recognises the important role of rural women’s organisations in preserving cultural heritage and fostering social cohesion, noting the success of Irish examples such as the Irish Countrywomen’s Association and local women’s sheds in promoting skills, community engagement and economic opportunities for rural women; calls on the Commission to support and recognise such initiatives across the EU as a means to strengthen rural economies, maintain traditional crafts and empower rural women;

Removed19. Stresses that equitable access to infrastructure such as high-speed internet and reliable transport is essential to enable rural women to participate in economic, educational and civic life;

Added46. Supports the creation of a specific thematic sub-programme for women in rural areas within the framework of the CAP Strategic Plans, financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, which promote female employment and entrepreneurship through opportunities related to agritourism, the development of ‘digital villages’, and the promotion of sustainable agriculture, by improving women farmers’ access to land, credit, financial instruments, skills development, and professional performance through training programmes and advisory services, as well as strengthening women’s participation in Local Action Groups and territorial partnerships developed under the LEADER programme;

Removed20. Encourages investment in social enterprises, cooperatives and care-related business models that empower rural women while addressing local needs, such as childcare, eldercare and community well-being;

Added47. Calls for the integration of rural women’s textile and craft industries into Member State and regional economic development plans, emphasising the role of private sector partnerships to expand market access;

Removed21. Stresses that limited access to healthcare – including maternal care and mental health services – disproportionately affects women in rural, island and outermost regions; calls on the Member States to ensure the availability, affordability and continuity of essential health services, through mobile clinics and telemedicine;

Added48. Calls on the Commission to raise awareness in island and remote areas and outermost regions about the financial and other instruments available at EU level that promote entrepreneurship, encouraging women in these areas to engage in entrepreneurial projects and fostering self-employment opportunities;

Added49. Encourages the promotion of voluntary labelling for small-scale producers in peripheral island regions to highlight products that have been largely produced, processed or marketed by women; proposes developing these labels, particularly in the context of community processing initiatives, to strengthen women’s businesses in local value creation and marketing; recommends linking such labels to existing regional brands and initiatives to facilitate implementation and acceptance;

AddedAgriculture, fishing and the agri-food supply chain

Added50. Celebrates the resilience of women in farming and fisheries and the associated contribution they make to feeding our society, growing local economies and building strong communities throughout the EU and in particular in rural and island areas and outermost regions;

Added51. Stresses the need to consistently promote the visibility, recognition and appreciation of women’s contribution to agriculture and rural development, including on family-run farms; calls on the Member States to remove practical barriers to women’s land ownership and succession in order to guarantee gender-equal access to land, credit, CAP funds, cohesion policy funds, advisory services, innovation support and succession rights; stresses that the CAP must be more closely aligned with the principles of gender mainstreaming and gender equality; underlines the importance of ensuring that the CAP support measures offer targeted, gender-responsive support for women farmers, including farm advisory services and guidance on occupational health and safety, maternity and carers’ leave, mental health and access to healthcare services; invites representative organisations to promote and highlight the involvement of female representatives and spokespersons who accurately reflect the presence of women in agriculture and rural areas; calls for the farm work done by women, especially work done to assist spouses and partners, to be taken into account to ensure greater appreciation of women’s work and rights; stresses that even though many women work for years, this valuable experience does not culminate in leadership or key decision-making roles;

Added52. Stresses that management positions on farms continue to be predominantly held by men, highlighting the marked under-representation of women in leadership roles within the agricultural sector; considers that this situation underscores the urgent need for public policies and specific instruments that promote women’s access to managerial and decision-making positions, ensuring equal opportunities, the recognition of women’s skills and encouragement of generational renewal; stresses that women in rural areas, including women with disabilities, play a key role in sustaining local communities through both economic and social activities, yet they remain under-represented in decision-making structures; recommends that agricultural and rural development support programmes include clear targets for the balanced participation of men and women in management roles on farms and within primary sector organisations;

Added53. Points out that many spouses working on farms are not adequately protected in the event of divorce, separation or the death of their spouse; calls on the Commission and the Member States to work with agricultural interest groups to develop models that take greater account of social security, co-entrepreneurship and inheritance rights;

Added54. Calls on the Member States to collect gender-disaggregated data on land ownership, agricultural leadership and the informal contributions of women, so as to empower women and work towards informed policy decisions, which reflect women’s strength and talent; welcomes the Commission's plan to launch an EU Observatory on Farmland; welcomes the proposal by Commissioner Hansen in his Vision for Farming and Food to create a European Land Observatory and highlights the need for this observatory to collect gender-disaggregated data; calls on the Commission to assess the policy gaps that act as barriers for women when it comes to acquiring or inheriting land and issue policy recommendations to counteract this; calls on the Commission to propose, in particular, specific measures aimed at young female farmers under the CAP;

Added55. Calls on the Commission to propose specific measures to support young female farmers and agri-food entrepreneurs, including financial incentives and initiatives to address structural and cultural barriers to land access and farm succession; highlights that generational renewal is key to maintaining and developing agricultural activity, which ensures both food security and vibrant rural communities; calls for an increase in the share of the CAP budget allocated to measures specifically supporting female farmers, with a view to promoting gender equality in rural areas, and enhancing the socio-economic inclusion of women in agriculture; calls on the Commission, in particular, to propose specific measures aimed at young female farmers under the CAP, as it is currently impossible to prioritise women within the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund’s young farmer’s scheme;

Added56. Advocates, in particular, the inclusion of specific measures for young women farmers in the future CAP budget, in particular in the outermost regions, that facilitate access to credit, land and innovation, in order to ensure generational renewal in areas particularly vulnerable to agricultural abandonment;

Added57. Calls for the Member States, as well as regional and local governments, to specifically inform, train and support women in rural areas to participate in places of decision and deliberation in their areas, such as municipal, school, cooperative or trade union boards;

Added58. Urges gender-responsive selection criteria and dedicated measures under both CAP pillars to support women farmers and women-led rural businesses, with ring-fenced outreach and advisory services;

Added59. Calls on the Commission, the Member States, and regional and local authorities to ensure greater social and economic inclusion in rural areas, ensuring equal opportunities and the active participation of women and the most vulnerable groups; stresses the importance of, and calls on the Member States to ensure that, EU funds are used to develop resilient, sustainable and well-connected territories capable of guaranteeing universal access to safe, accessible and high-quality public and private goods and services, including education, healthcare, mobility, digital infrastructure and social services, in order to strengthen local economic development and regional cohesion, the attractiveness of rural areas, and their contribution to the well-being of society as a whole;

Added60. Stresses that good connectivity in rural areas is essential not only for economic development but also for safety and health, noting that reliable communication networks can intervene in situations of gender-based violence, ensure timely access to medical care in emergencies and enhance overall safety and well-being; calls on the Member States to prioritise investment in digital and transport connectivity as part of efforts to create inclusive and secure rural communities;

Added61. Reaffirms the need to strengthen the attractiveness, especially for women, of professions related to agriculture, livestock, fisheries, the maritime sector and the environment in the outermost regions, due to their organisation role at the economic, social and environmental levels, with sustained support aimed at younger generations;

Added62. Stresses that the design of most equipment, tools and materials used in agriculture is based on average male characteristics, which limits the possibility of women using them safely and efficiently; expresses regret that this lack of gender-sensitive design contributes to the excessive physical demands made on women and discourages them from farming; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the development and distribution of ergonomic equipment and materials tailored to women’s needs;

Added63. Stresses the need to make the farming profession more attractive, especially for younger generations and for women; considers it essential to remove the stigma of farming as a profession by recognising that modern agriculture also means entrepreneurship, innovation and providing added value; calls on the Commission and the Member States to include in their strategies and initiatives measures that promote agriculture as a viable career with good prospects, and one which combines traditional and entrepreneurial dimensions;

AddedEqual access to infrastructure, services and social protection

Added64. Stresses that equitable access to infrastructure and high-quality services, such as high-speed internet, reliable and sustainable transport, water services, childcare and education services, care services for elderly people and people with disabilities, timely access to essential medical and social services, as well as other basic services, such as postal and banking services, is essential to enable women living in islands, rural areas, and remote and outermost regions to participate in economic, educational and civic life; recognises the importance of ensuring that there are local schools in rural areas; calls on the Member States to consult with local populations concerning the eventual closure of public schools and to propose valid alternatives in such cases; urges the adoption of gender-sensitive rural mobility policies, including safe, reliable and affordable public transport, demand-responsive services, safe stops and routes, and measures to prevent and address harassment; calls on the Commission to develop policies and instruments that ensure the connectivity of these regions, specifically in the case of the outermost regions, through a POSEI-Transport funding programme, in order to guarantee the right to stay, creating conditions for all, and especially for women, to stay in these regions and to create and expand opportunities in education, employment, and entrepreneurship;

Added65. Recognises the importance of making equal sharing of domestic and care responsibilities possible in order to achieve the work-life balance necessary for women to engage in entrepreneurship and self-employment; calls on the Member States and regional and local authorities to invest in social enterprises, cooperatives and care-related business models that empower rural women while addressing local needs, and to provide appropriate childcare, eldercare and community well-being; calls on the Member States to implement the Barcelona targets, ensuring the coverage of these needs through investment in accessible and affordable high-quality care services; welcomes actions already taken by some Member States on this matter, urges them to fully transpose and implement the Work-Life Balance Directive, and calls on the Commission to monitor it effectively;

Added66. Underlines how women’s entrepreneurship in Europe’s mountainous and depopulated regions adds vitality to high-altitude communities, serving to keep mountain villages vibrant, protect fragile ecosystems, and ensure that living at points of high elevation remains full of opportunity and pride, with good access to women-specific resources and services;

Added67. Notes how seasonal economies, involving activities such as harvesting and tourism, and depopulation further increase the isolation and vulnerability of women and girls; underlines how addressing these barriers through better connectivity, targeted funding and local support networks is essential to unlocking the full potential of women entrepreneurs in mountainous areas;

Added68. Notes that the inadequacy of farm relief services in many Member States impacts women farmers in particular; calls on the Member States to reinforce these services;

Added69. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to examine new intergenerational housing concepts for rural areas that combine housing, care and community life for young families and older people and provide new impulses for rural development;

Added70. Stresses that limited access to healthcare, including access to sexual and reproductive health rights and services, and mental health services, disproportionately affects women living in rural and island areas and outermost regions, exacerbating existing inequalities and undermining the full exercise of their fundamental rights; underlines that the scarcity of medical infrastructure, the lack of healthcare professionals and geographical and transport barriers pose additional obstacles to the timely provision of adequate care; calls on the Member States to ensure equal, affordable and timely access to and continuity of essential healthcare services in these territories, promoting innovative solutions such as mobile clinics, local units, telemedicine, strengthening primary healthcare clinics and, where relevant, cross-border care arrangements and targeted prevention programmes, to guarantee equity in access to healthcare and social and territorial cohesion; stresses, furthermore, the importance of ensuring the availability of adequate mental health support and services tailored to the specific needs of women in these regions, in order to address the heightened risk of isolation, stress and burnout;

Added71. Recognises that women with disabilities represent an underutilised entrepreneurial resource in rural and island areas and outermost regions; calls on the Member States to ensure that education, employment, rural business support services, training programmes and networking events are accessible to women with various types of disabilities; emphasises that digital entrepreneurship and remote work opportunities can be particularly valuable for women with mobility limitations in geographically isolated areas; encourages the sharing of best practices between regions on how to adapt entrepreneurship support for women with disabilities; notes that accessibility improvements in rural business environments benefit not only entrepreneurs with disabilities but also ageing entrepreneurs and the broader community;

Added72. Highlights the particular economic challenges of eastern border regions, including limited employment opportunities and wage inequalities; draws particular attention to the high level of unemployment among women and young people in these regions, which is significantly above the EU average; calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop targeted programmes supporting entrepreneurship, facilitating young female farmers’ access to land and finance, and ensuring the effective use of CAP and cohesion policy instruments to strengthen the resilience and development of these regions;

Added73. Underlines that women still predominantly take on caregiving roles, whether caring for a sick relative, a child, or an elderly person, which too often leads them to interrupt or abandon their professional careers; stresses the need to develop and make accessible affordable and high-quality services, in particular childcare, to facilitate the reconciliation of private and professional life, including the continuation of entrepreneurial projects;

Added74. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to establish an integrated ‘one-stop-shop’ within the CAP, with a dedicated section for women in rural areas, making it accessible online; underlines that this facility should include an interactive map of available financial instruments, standardised application templates and advisory services for the preparation of business plans and projects;

Added75. Considers that cohesion policy should be more empowering for women living in the EU’s outermost regions and should promote gender equality as well as the effective implementation of the EU’s strategy on gender equality in the outermost regions;

Added76. Emphasises that female entrepreneurship on small islands makes a decisive contribution to social cohesion, sustainability, the strengthening of local identity and sustainable development; points out that the spatially limited market on islands and in remote areas limits the development of agriculture and, implicitly, of women’s entrepreneurial initiatives in this field and poses a challenge for entrepreneurship; calls, in this context, for EU policymakers and national authorities to direct their attention to this, to ensure a level playing field for women entrepreneurs on islands and in remote rural territories;

Added77. Calls on the Member States to ensure effective access to social protection for self-employed women and assisting spouses and partners in agriculture and craft micro-enterprises, including adequate pensions and family-related leave and access to maternity, parental and pension rights in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights;

Violence

Change 3

Removed22. Acknowledges that gender-based violence, including domestic, economic, sexual and psychological abuse, is a serious barrier to women’s autonomy and participation in economic life in rural and island regions;

Added78. Condemns all forms of gender-based violence as a violation of women’s fundamental rights and a barrier to women’s autonomy and economic empowerment, including through entrepreneurship; calls on the Member States to prioritise targeted support, protection measures and accessible resources for rural women affected by violence, ensuring their safety, dignity and access to justice including for those in post-conflict recovery and involved in peacebuilding efforts; highlights that the nature and terms of women’s work in rural and island areas, along with their physical isolation, increases their vulnerability to gender-based violence; calls for comprehensive prevention including awareness-raising on domestic, economic, sexual and psychological violence, and to ensure access to services such as helplines, support services and shelters and effective measures to end impunity; stresses the need for targeted campaigns in rural areas to raise awareness of and counter gender-based violence, particularly in communities where traditional gender roles and economic or family dependencies often prevent women from seeking help or leaving abusive situations; reiterates the call for the EU and all Member States to ratify, implement and adequately fund the Istanbul Convention and ensure equal access to services for women in rural and island areas and outermost regions;