"This Roadmap outlines six priority areas for EU action on gender equality for the period 2006-2010: equal economic independence for women and men; reconciliation of private and professional life; equal representation in decision-making; eradication of all forms of gender-based violence; elimination of gender stereotypes; promotion of gender equality in external and development policies. For each area, it identifies priority objectives and actions. The Commission cannot alone achieve these objectives, as in any areas the centre of gravity for action lies at Member State level. Thus, this Roadmap represents the Commission's commitment to driving the gender equality agenda forward, reinforcing partnership with Member states, and other actors."--P. 7.

Fourth report of Session 2010-11 : Documents considered by the Committee on 20 October 2010, report, together with formal Minutes

"Violence against women undermines women's core fundamental rights such as dignity, access to justice and gender equality. For example, one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15; one in five women has experienced stalking; every second woman has been confronted with one or more forms of sexual harassment. What emerges is a picture of extensive abuse that affects many women's lives but is systematically underreported to the authorities. The scale of violence against women is therefore not reflected by official data. This FRA survey is the first of its kind on violence against women across the 28 Member States of the European Union (EU). It is based on interviews with 42,000 women across the EU, who were asked about their experiences of physical, sexual and psychological violence, including incidents of intimate partner violence ('domestic violence'). The survey also included questions on stalking, sexual harassment, and the role played by new technologies in women's experiences of abuse. In addition, it asked about their experiences of violence in childhood. Based on the detailed findings, FRA suggests courses of action in different areas that are touched by violence against women and go beyond the narrow confines of criminal law, ranging from employment and health to the medium of new technologies."--Editor.

Gender impact assessment has been both celebrated as a beacon of hope for the cause of gender equality and criticised as being ineffectual. More than 20 years of gender mainstreaming have demonstrated that equality governance with and through impact assessment is an intersectional and still evolving process. Arn T. Sauer's study examines the instruments of gendered policy analysis and the conditions under which they are being used by the Canadian federal government and the European Commission. Interviews with experts from public administration and instrument designers as well as document analyses reveal benefits and challenges and show that the success of equality governance depends upon whether knowledge about gendered policy and appropriate administrative practices are embedded, embodied and entrenched in public administration.

Gender is being marginalized with the increased attention to "multiple discrimination" and civil society landscape at the transnational level is increasingly diversified. The book looks at the processes of (strategic) degendering in EU policy-making and on the interaction between EU institutions and European women's organizations.

The European Union has enshrined gender equality as a fundamental right. The Staff Working Document on Progress on Equality between Women and Men in 2011 presents recent developments in gender equality and statistics in all fields covered by the Strategy for equality between women and men (2010-2015): equal economic independence; equal pay for equal work and work of equal value; equality in decision-making; dignity, integrity and an end to gender-based violence; and gender equality in external actions.

Upon request of the FEMM committee, the study evaluates the Strategy for Equality between women and men 2010-2015 as a contribution towards achieving Beijing Platform for Action goals and provides indications on the future post-2015 multiannual policy framework. The study assesses the extent to which the Strategy was appropriate and comprehensive enough to contribute to the BPfA implementation and, more in general, to gender equality at the European and international level, and whether the planned objectives have been effectively met. It also provides practical and specific recommendations on possible improvements for the future Strategy.