European Commission Roadmap for Women’s Rights omits mention of women with disabilities

European Commission Roadmap for Women’s Rights omits mention of women with disabilities

On 7 March 2025, ahead of the International Women’s Day, the European Commission (EC) published the Roadmap for Women’s Rights, setting out long-term policy objectives to uphold the following principles of women’s rights and gender equality:

• Freedom from gender-based violence.
• The highest standard of health.
• Equal pay and economic empowerment.
• Work-life balance and care.
• Equal employment opportunities and adequate working conditions.
• Quality and inclusive education.
• Political participation and equal representation.
• Institutional mechanisms that deliver on women’s rights.

Although the roadmap references women with disabilities once –  “Special attention must be paid to women facing intersectional discrimination, based on characteristics such as racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation.”, it does not delve into the specific inequalities experienced by women with disabilities. Moreover:

• The Roadmap does not reference the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
• Moreover, in the principle “highest standards of health”, no actions are proposed to ensure the accessibility of healthcare for women with disabilities and ensuring high quality medical rehabilitation services. Additionally, although there is a mention supporting measures regarding women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, the Roadmap does not propose the ban of forced sterilisation of women with disabilities.
• In the principle of “equal pay and economic empowerment”, it does not mention any targeted action towards reducing the poverty level faced by women with disabilities. 
• Similarly, the principle of “equal employment opportunities and adequate working conditions” does not include any actions to improve the access of women with disabilities to the labor market, and ensure the accessibility of their workplaces and equal pay.
• No mentions of ensuring the accessibility of education for girls and women with disabilities were included in the “quality and inclusive education” pillar.
• Finally, the roadmap does not include any mentions of the political participation of women with disabilities and their equal representation within the corresponding pillar.

Access the EC Communication on “A Roadmap for Women’s Rights” here.

Access the Annex to the EC Communication “A Roadmap for Women’s Rights” here.