This literature review will examine the extent to which the European Union is either effective or non-effective in furthering women’s empowerment internally. The European Parliament reported in 2016 that the woman who is empowered possesses “a sense of self-worth. She can determine her own choices, and has access to opportunities and resources providing her with an array of options she can pursue”. The European Parliament (2016) reports that an empowered woman is one who holds control “over her own life, both within and outside the home”. Stride (2009) reported that the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is the first of all examples in which women are able to address the institutions of the European Union in relation to gender equality making provision of feedback, input and participation in the European Union’s feedback and output. O’Neill, Domingo and Valters (2014) report that that empowerment of women in the context of the European Union both internally and externally in the area of institutions that are gendered vary greatly across the spectrum of their lives on a daily basis.
In other words, while women might realize economic empowerment they still may be lacking in the area of workplace and pay empowerment. However, the work of Bagi (2014) reports that men and women now possess “the same rights according to the constitution of EU member states”. According to Bagi (2014) there is therefore presently “no de jure discrimination” the truth is that there are many women who are not able to “enforce their rights up to this day so there is no positive freedom”. However, the European Union has taken steps to enhance equality between men and women (Bagi, 2014). Bagi (2014) states that there is little in the way of political representation of women in member state’s national parliaments. Despite the measures taken by the European Union historically there is still a great deal lacking in terms of women’s legal empowerment according to Golub (2016) who states that the greatest part of adults who are poor are represented by women.
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"The Effectiveness Of The European Union In Female Empowerment Literature Review".
The European Parliament (2017) reports specific initiatives aimed at empowering women and to include the MFF 2014-2020 program which has financed projects with objectives of ensuring gender equality as well as bringing about an end to violence perpetrated against women. In addition both the European Parliament in 2017 and Poli (2016) reported that in 2006, the Parliament of the EU and its Council, worked to establish the ‘European Institute for Gender Equality’ with the aim of making a contribution to, gender equality promotion as well as providing support for gender equality promotion as well as discrimination being combatted that is gender-based. The work of Askola (2007) that there is a “lack of transparency and judicial control” in the EU when it comes to sexual exploitation of women (p.172). Askola (2007) additionally reports that the EU also has a “lack of coherence and balance” (p.180).
Another initiative reported is that of the ‘Women’s Charter and the Strategic engagement for gender equality 2016-2019 (European Parliament, 2017). This charter is reported to have been adopted with the aim to bring about an improvement in equality promotion both internal and external to Europe (European Parliament, 2017and Poli, 2016). The Commission is also reported to have adopted the Women’s Charter focusing on the improvement of equality as well as promoting equality not only in Europe but on a global scale (European Parliament, 2017).
The Commission is reported to have published the article entitled ‘Strategic Engagement for Gender Equality 2016-2019 which has a focus on five specific areas of priority including: (1) bringing about an increase in female representation in the labor market and economic independence for women equal to that of men; (2) Bringing about a reduction in the gender gap in earnings to combat poverty experienced by women; (3) the promotion of equality in the area of decision-making for women; (4) violence that is based on gender being combatted and providing victim support; and (5) the promotion of equality among genders and the rights of women on a global scale.
The European Parliament (2016) reported that one problem on empowerment of women is the fact that many countries post-crisis fail to have a focus on gender equality and this is because the expectations for the role of the gender is one that is institutionalized in the areas of legislation, education, politics and systems of economics. Additionally reported by the European Parliament (2016) is that if women received the same level of pay as do men it is reported that the gross domestic product (GDP) in the Euro zone would increased by 13% . O’Connell and Gavas (2014) reported that the European Union has a new action plan on Gender for 2016-2020 specifically focused on gender equality and empowerment of women specific to external relations.
The focus of the initiative is bringing about a transformation of the institutional culture in relation to: (1) the psychological and physical integrity of women and girls; (2) women’s social and economic rights; and (3) the participation and voice of women. Lerch (2015) reports the fact that in countries that are developing that girls and women are impacted by exclusion and poverty disproportionately. The cooperation of international development is recognizing on an increasingly level that gender equality is an issue that must be addressed specifically for rights promotion and development that is sustainable in nature. In fact, there is a myriad of benefits associated with increases in gender equality.
According to Lerch (2015) fact show that gender equality is a primary principle in integration of Europe which is set out in the Lisbon Treaty as well as the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The plan set out by the European Union 2010 – 2015 entitled ‘Plan of Action on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Development” involved both member states and the European Union setting out goals in providing support for girls and women including: (1) the systematic addressing equality of gender in the political realm in the form of dialogue with countries who are partners to the European Union; (2) focusing on the specific needs and concerns of girls and women in all operations of development in the form of mainstreaming; and (3) providing financing for specific actions to assist girls and women.
The European Parliament is a strong supporter of bringing gender into focus in the area of cooperation and development and has focused on the critical nature of: (1) the elimination of all types of violence and discrimination against girls and women and making it clear concerning the participation of women in the processes of decision making; (2) assuring employment equal access and equal pay regardless of gender; (3) educational enhancement for girls and the removal of barriers related to gender in learning; (4) assuring health care services access is universal; and (5) establishment of protections that are effective in nature for women who are migrants (Lerch, 2015).
However, the work of Debusscher (2012) reported a study that examined how it is that gender is within the development policy of the European Union being institutionalized and states findings that to some extent gender equality is being institutionalized by the European Union but when in the implementation of relief efforts such as those to Liberia that there is a breakdown in mainstreaming of gender equality on the part of the European Union. While there has been progress in gender equality in the EU and specific to the empowerment of women there is much more progress that needs to be made if women are to be fully empowered both external and internal to the European Union.
- Askola, H (2007) Legal Responses to Trafficking in Women for Sexual Exploitation in the European Union. Bloomsbury Publishing. Retrieved from: https://books.google.com
- Bagi, J (2014) Gender in the European Union, Achievements and Problems to be Solved. European Integration: Perspectives and Challenges How ‘Borderless’ Is Europe. Jean Monnet Center of Excellence. Retrieved from: http://jmonnet.btk.pte.hu
- Debusscher, P (2013) Gendered Assumptions, Institutional Disconnections and Democratic Deficits: The Case of European Union Development Policy Towards Liberia. Women’s Studies International Forum (40). Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net
- Golub S (2016) Legal Empowerment: Practitioner’s Perspectives. Legal and Governance Reform: Lessons Learned. Retrieved from: http://www.myjusticemyanmar.org
- O’Connell, H and Gavas, M (2014) The European Union’s New Gender Action Plan 2016-2020: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Relations. ODI. Retrieved from: https://www.odi.org/publications/10021-gender-equality-empowerment-eu-external-relations-gap-2016_2020
