The European Union has made significant progress in legislation aimed at protecting women, yet everyday reality still reveals a wide gap in the implementation of rights, the protection of victims and access to economic opportunities.
What challenges do women who experience violence face, how essential is the strict implementation of existing directives and concrete policies that could improve women's lives over the next five years, how can the EU create safe spaces for women who are afraid to speak out, and how can genuine gender equality be achieved in practice.
These are just some of the topics we discussed with Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Vice Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality.
Where is the biggest gap?
Where do you see the biggest gap between the EU's declared commitment to women's rights and the everyday reality of women who still lack protection, safety and equal opportunities?
As Vice Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, I believe the greatest gap lies in the effective implementation of existing rules and in achieving real equality, especially in the workplace and in the fight against violence.
In recent years the European Union has taken important steps forward by strengthening key directives to combat gender based violence, promoting pay transparency and reinforcing rights related to work life balance. However, significant differences between member states remain. In my country, Spain, this gap is particularly visible. The delayed transposition of the Work Life Balance Directive, which even led to a ruling and financial penalty from the Court of Justice, as well as recent cases of harassment and sexual abuse involving high public officials, including the resignation of the Chief of the National Police and internal complaints within the governing party, have reignited the debate about how institutions address violence against women. All of this has generated strong social and media pressure to strengthen mechanisms for prevention, reporting and accountability.
Effective equality is not achieved through declarations alone but through measurable results in the daily lives of European women.
The European People's Party firmly believes that equality must not remain at the level of declarations or symbolic legislation. What we need is the rigorous implementation of already adopted rules, more effective use of European funds to support women in vulnerable situations and policies that make genuine work life balance possible. We also advocate greater representation of women in strategic sectors such as technology and stronger support for women entrepreneurs.
Closing the gap between commitment and reality requires continuous investment in education, training in digital skills and decisive support for women's employment. Our objective must be clear: to ensure that every woman in Europe, wherever she lives, has real and effective access to protection, opportunities and the freedom to shape her life in full equality.
European Union policies
Despite EU strategies on gender equality, many women across Europe still face lower wages, violence and institutional silence. How can EU policies become more tangible for women whose voices are rarely heard?
The major challenge is not only designing ambitious strategies but ensuring that they reach the most vulnerable women, including those living in rural areas, women with disabilities, victims of violence and women in precarious employment. For European policies to become truly tangible we must guarantee effective implementation and rigorous evaluation of the rules. Passing legislation is important, but it is equally essential that member states fully implement directives and that the European Commission monitors compliance through clear monitoring mechanisms.
Women also need real access to information and resources. Many are not aware of the rights they already have. It is necessary to strengthen cooperation with local authorities, social organizations and other relevant actors so that information and support services truly reach women on the ground.
Support and employment opportunities are also essential.
In the European People's Party we advocate policies that promote women's employment, entrepreneurship and training in strategic sectors such as digitalization and the green transition, along with measures that facilitate work life balance. Economic independence is key to breaking the cycle of violence and inequality.
Giving a voice to those who are rarely heard also means involving women in the design of public policies, strengthening consultation mechanisms and ensuring that European funds prioritize projects that directly affect their lives. Governments must prioritize funding for policies that promote equality. Effective equality is not achieved through declarations but through measurable results in the daily lives of European women. That must be our political goal.
Supporting women when institutions fail
For women living in environments where institutions fail to protect them, EU values often represent hope. How can the European Union more decisively support women in member states where gender equality is systematically undermined?
This question is very relevant, especially in light of a recent case in my country involving a high ranking National Police official. A woman reported alleged abuse, and there may be additional victims and perpetrators. This reflects a broader problem. When institutions responsible for protecting people do not function properly or generate distrust, victims hesitate to report abuse and may feel powerless.
The first two months of 2026 have not yet passed and my country has already been marked by a new surge in violence against women. The past week has been particularly tragic following the murders of three women and two minors, bringing the number of gender based killings this year to ten. In six cases there had been previous reports, which indicates persistent structural and institutional shortcomings in the prevention, identification and monitoring of violence against women even with existing protocols in place.
Failures in the electronic bracelet monitoring system, which was intended to protect women under restraining orders, have highlighted the urgent need to strengthen oversight systems and ensure that protective devices always function properly. When such a mechanism fails it is not merely a technical error. It is a direct breach of victims' safety and a reminder that the fight against violence against women requires rigor, oversight and institutional accountability.
This is directly linked to another problem. When internal control mechanisms within a member state fail to protect whistleblowers or when institutional responses are inadequate, gender equality is undermined in practice.
The European Union can act by strengthening common standards for victim protection, requiring independent investigation protocols within law enforcement bodies and overseeing the effective enforcement of equality and protection rules. It can also finance direct legal and psychological support for victims.
True equality does not depend solely on progressive legislation but on ensuring that no woman is left unprotected from abuse of power.
What should be the next concrete initiative?
If you could advocate one concrete initiative at the EU level that would directly improve women's lives over the next five years, especially those facing violence or economic insecurity, what would it be and what stands in its way today?
If I had to advocate one initiative it would be a European approach focused on the effective implementation of already approved standards, strengthening the capacity of member states to comply with them and ensuring that they reach those who need them most.
If we want to see real results we must move from general commitments to mechanisms that have consequences when obligations are not fulfilled. Only then will equality stop depending on the country in which a woman lives.
Europe has made progress with the Directive on combating violence against women, the Work Life Balance Directive and the Pay Transparency Directive. Yet too many women, including women with disabilities, still do not experience these advances in their everyday lives.
The European People's Party believes that the priority must be to ensure that these rules are properly implemented, focusing on three clear priorities: genuine work life balance that allows women to work, care for others and advance without giving up their life plans; effective protection from violence with accessible services, proper training and effective reporting mechanisms; and strong support for the most vulnerable women, especially women with disabilities who still face additional barriers in accessing justice, employment and services.
Is the problem the laws or their implementation?
Today the obstacles are not legal barriers but the lack of implementation, inequalities among member states and the absence of robust mechanisms that ensure European rights become real opportunities. A European approach focused on implementation, monitoring and technical support would close this gap and ensure that no woman is left behind.
Rather than an isolated measure what is needed is a binding and coordinated European approach so that no woman in Europe remains unprotected from violence or economic dependence.
True equality does not depend only on progressive legislation but on ensuring that no woman remains unprotected from abuse of power.
In the next five years our priorities must be clearly defined and firmly secured. We must ensure immediate and effective protection from all forms of violence, guarantee real access to justice, further strengthen work life balance policies and promote educational initiatives that challenge persistent gender stereotypes. Care must be at the heart of all public policies, a goal for which the European Care Strategy will be a key pillar of our social model.
At the same time we must expand economic opportunities that allow women to rebuild their lives with full autonomy and dignity. This requires binding common standards, regular and transparent monitoring of implementation and the strategic use of European funds so that resources reach women in the most vulnerable situations.
A message for women who are afraid to speak out
What message would you send to women who want to fight for their rights but remain silent because of fear, social pressure, stigma or violence? How can EU institutions help create safer spaces for their voices?
Many women in Europe are afraid to speak out and that is understandable. Social pressure, stigmatization or violence can silence even the most determined individuals. Yet I think of the courage of many women in Iran or Afghanistan who risk their lives for something as basic as the right to study, work or show their face. Their courage reminds us that every time a woman raises her voice, whether here or anywhere in the world, she defends not only her own rights but the rights of all women.
I believe the European Union must build trust and make it a priority across all its policies. It must guarantee safe, accessible and reliable spaces so that no woman is forced to choose between her safety and her freedom of expression.
(EUpravo zato)
