I have the honour to speak on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

Women and girls suffer disproportionally from poverty, especially in areas marked by wars, crises and conflicts. Structural barriers such as the lack of economic and educational opportunities, and negative social norms, contribute to a cycle of poverty passed on from generation to generation, making it difficult to evade. Moreover, women and girls from marginalised communities face compounded challenges due to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, which can exacerbate their vulnerability to poverty.

There is a strong two-way relationship between gender-based violence and women and girls living in poverty. Financial dependence can be a consequence as well as a risk factor for gender-based violence, and can aggravate women’s and girls’ risk of isolation. The Spotlight Initiative, launched by the UN and EU and supported financially by the EU with EUR 500 million, aims at preventing all forms of gender-based violence with special attention to marginalised women. Gender mainstreaming is one key instrument to tackle gender stereotypes and to ensure a gender-responsive approach across all policy choices, including the gender care gap. For the achievement of gender equality, gender-responsive financing and budgeting is key for adequate allocation of resources.

The EU considers the promotion of gender equality as a key driver for sustainable development. Evidence confirms that accelerating progress on gender equality within the EU would generate 10.5 million jobs and that GDP would increase by 10 % by 2050. This contributes to the EU’s target to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 15%. We also call on our partners, the public and private sector, civil society to support efforts in closing the gender gap, be it economic, financial, health-related, social or other aspects. Civil society organisations are essential to policy-making, especially by working closely with women, adolescents and girls in vulnerable situations on the ground. We need to engage men and boys as strategic partners and allies, as well as agents and beneficiaries of change for the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls,

We can only achieve long-lasting and sustainable development with the empowerment of all women and girls and full, equal and meaningful participation of women in decision-making. Hence, let us renew our promise to all women and girls worldwide to make progress with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, which is intrinsically linked with gender equality. Our commitment to gender equality will also form a central pillar of our agenda in shaping the outcomes of the Pact of the Future.

Thank you.