Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Aja Labib, will today convene European political and institutional leaders, and civil society leaders to a ceremony to mark their endorsement of the Declaration of principles for a gender-equal society, included in the Roadmap for Women’s Rights. The Roadmap, presented by the Commission in March this year, reaffirms the commitment of the European Union (EU) to promote gender equality and women’s rights. It will guide and support concrete policy initiatives to be proposed under the next Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030, which will be adopted ahead of International Women’s Day 2026.

The principles and policy objectives of the Roadmap have been endorsed across the EU by the European Parliament, the three EU Council Presidencies, and the 27 Member States, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank. The European Institute for Gender Equality or the Organization for Fundamental Rights, the European Trade Union Confederation, the UN Women Unit, the Gates Foundation and a large network of civil society organizations have also joined this wave of support.

Today’s endorsement ceremony highlights broad political support for this initiative and emphasizes unity in an era of polarization and backlash over gender equality. The ceremony will be addressed by Roxana Minzatou, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Readiness, Commissioner Labib, Pina Picerno, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Nataša Pirc Musar, President of Slovenia, and Magnus Johannes Heunicke, Minister for Environment and Equality of the Genera of Denmark.

Executive Vice President Roxana Minzatou said: “United we support the Women’s Rights Roadmap. Today we are making our commitment a reality by investing in skills, quality jobs, and care systems that enable women to reach their full potential. Equality isn’t just a beginning; it’s something we build every day by giving women opportunities to lead, work and thrive.”

Commissioner Labib said: “The Roadmap is our compass to continue fighting for a more equal and cohesive European Union. Seven months ago, I pledged to build a broad coalition of support to renew the EU’s collective commitment to gender equality. I am glad that leaders from across the EU and from different levels came together to emphasize once again that women’s rights are human rights and that they matter to all people!”

Korina Georgiou