Gender Equality: EU and International Policy
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Ó: An Roinn Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige; Gender Equality
- Foilsithe: 1 Samhain 2019
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 21 Samhain 2024
This section gives you information on the EU and international dimension to gender equality.
Among the principle international bodies promoting gender equality are:
- the European Union
- the United Nations
- the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
- the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
- the Council of Europe
- the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
European Union
Equality between women and men is a founding value of the European Union, which has adopted equal treatment legislation, promoted gender mainstreaming and taken specific action for the advancement of women.
The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament are the principal decision-making institutions in the EU. Gender equality issues are addressed in the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council configuration which meets four times a year in formal session.
The European Commission is the main administrative organ with a right of initiative in bringing forward legislative proposals for the Union as well as having policy and oversight competences. The Commission's EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, launched in March 2020, presents policy objectives and actions to make significant progress by 2025 towards a gender-equal Europe.
The Court of Justice with its seat in Luxembourg is the main adjudicator and decider of disputes regarding the application of Union law and the Union’s competences to act under the Treaties.
The European Institute of Gender Equality (EIGE), located in Vilnius, Lithuania, was established in 2007 as an agency of the European Union to carry out research and reporting on matters of gender equality across the Union. Resources developed by EIGE include the EU Gender Equality Index, Gender Statistics Database, indicators and reports in the critical areas of concern of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and guidance to support gender mainstreaming.
The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), which is based in Dublin, includes a gender equality focus in its research to advise policy development in regard to working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living conditions. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) also takes account of gender equality in its work on upholding rights and on non-discrimination.
United Nations
Over many decades, the United Nations has made significant progress in advancing gender equality, including through landmark agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Since its establishment in 1946 by a resolution of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has been the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Commission convenes annually for two weeks in March to discuss progress, identify challenges, and set policies and global standards on gender equality and the rights of women and girls. UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, is the Secretariat to the Commission and supports all aspects of its work.
Gender equality issues are also raised at the UN Human Rights Council which is the principal intergovernmental body with the UN system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights, and for addressing and taking action on human rights violations around the globe.
Based on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and 9 further related resolutions, the Women, Peace and Security Agenda is founded on the idea that due to the power dynamics of gender, conflict has different effects on women, girls, boys and men. The Department of Foreign Affairs leads the development and implementation of Ireland's National Action Plans on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
The UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly. It defines discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination where it exists. The Optional Protocol to the Convention provides that the Committee which monitors its implementation is mandated to receive communications from individuals or groups submitting claims of violations of rights protected under the Convention and to initiate inquiries into situations of grave or systematic violations of women's rights, in States to which this applies.
Ireland acceded to CEDAW in 1985 and to its Optional Protocol in 2000. As a State party to the Convention, Ireland is obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the rights of the Convention are implemented. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth oversees the preparation of these reports.
Related documents:
- Ireland’s 8th State Report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (2024)
- Ireland’s 8th State Report Annex – Statistical Data
- Report of issues raised at CEDAW civil society consultation (October 2024)
- List of Issues and Questions prior to the submission of the 8th State Report of Ireland (2023)
- Ireland follow-up report to the concluding observations on its combined sixth and seventh periodic reports (2020)
- Concluding Comments of the CEDAW Committee on Ireland's Examination (2017)
- Ireland's Combined Sixth and Seventh Reports under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (2016)
- Annex of Statistical Data
- Report of issues raised at CEDAW civil society consultation (July 2016)
- List of issues and questions prior to the submission of the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Ireland (2016)
- Concluding Comments of the CEDAW Committee on Ireland's Examination (2005)
- Ireland's Combined Fourth and Fifth Reports under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (2003)
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, China, 1995), at which Ireland participated, is an agenda for women’s empowerment. The international community and civil society, including non-governmental organisations and the private sector, are called upon to take strategic action in twelve critical areas of concern for women globally. Progress is reviewed periodically at the UN, in particular at the Commission for the Status of Women.
Related documents:
- Ireland –Report of the Comprehensive National-level Review: Thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Actionsubmitted to UN Women in August 2024, along with a report from the civil society stakeholder consultation as an Annex.
- Annex to Ireland’s Report of the Comprehensive National-level Review: Stakeholder Consultation Forum-9 July 2024 detailing the civil society consultation which took place on 9 July 2024.
- Ireland - Report of the Comprehensive National-level Review: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, submitted to UNECE and UN Women in June 2019 along with a report from the civil society stakeholder consultation
- "Towards True Gender Equality in Ireland: Implementing the UN Beijing Platform for Action 1995, Periodic Report for Beijing+20 to UNECE, April 2014", the report of Ireland's comprehensive national review for Beijing+20, as submitted to UNECE in April 2014
- UNECE Questionnaire On The Implementation Of The Beijing Declaration And Platform For Action And Beijing + 5 - Response Of Ireland (2009), prepared in March 2009 in response to a questionnaire from UNECE, in the context of Beijing+15
- National Report of Ireland 2004 in Response to UN Questionnaire to Governments on Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action
- Ireland - Report to the United Nations on the National Plan for Women 2002 on the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, Ireland’s programme to advance the situation of women across the twelve critical areas of concern of the Beijing Platform for Action, presented to the UN in 2002 in the form of the National Plan for Women
- UN Questionnaire to Governments on the Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action – National Report of Ireland 2000, Ireland’s response to the UN Secretary-General’s questionnaire on implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, compiled in the context of the 23rd special session of the UN General Assembly on ‘Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century’, Beijing+5
Council of Europe
Ireland joined the Council of Europe in 1949 as a founder member. Gender equality is an important policy goal of the Council of Europe. Priority areas of intervention are defined by its Gender Equality Strategies and working methods include intergovernmental work, cooperation projects and gender mainstreaming.
Ireland is represented on the Gender Equality Commission (GEC) of the Council of Europe supports the implementation of the six objectives of the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029
OECD
In 2010 the OECD launched its Gender Initiative to examine existing barriers to gender equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship with the aim of improving policies and promoting gender equality in the economy in both OECD and non-OECD countries. The OECD monitors progress made by governments to promote gender equality and provides good practices based on analytical tools and reliable data. The OECD Dashboard on Gender Gaps gives a snapshot of how a country’s gender equality policies and outcomes compare to that of other OECD countries across policy domains.