At Paradigma Innovation, we understand that public policies are never neutral — they reflect choices, priorities, and power relations. That is why we welcome the European Commission’s Roadmap for Women’s Rights, a renewed political commitment to gender equality adopted in March 2025. As experts in public policy innovation and Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH), we see this roadmap as a timely, necessary, and ambitious step toward building fairer, more democratic, and more resilient societies.
A Strategic Vision Grounded in Rights and Values
The Roadmap arrives at a crucial moment. While gender equality has been a core EU value since the Treaty of Rome, recent years have seen worrying signs of backlash, polarisation, and stagnation. Despite notable progress, in education, employment, legal protection, structural inequalities persist. Women remain underrepresented in power and overexposed to violence, poverty, and care burdens.
The Commission’s communication reaffirms gender equality not only as a moral obligation but also as a strategic investment. It highlights how empowering women contributes to economic competitiveness, social justice, and democratic legitimacy — a clear message against the idea that gender issues are secondary or “soft” topics.
From Diagnosis to Action: Eight Principles for the Future
The Roadmap is structured around eight interrelated principles, which together offer a comprehensive framework for future policy action:
Freedom from gender-based violence
The highest standards of health, including sexual and reproductive rights
Equal pay and economic empowerment
Work-life balance and access to care
Equal employment opportunities and decent work
Inclusive and gender-sensitive education
Political participation and equal representation
Strong institutional mechanisms and gender mainstreaming
Each of these areas reflects not only a domain of inequality but also a site of potential transformation. The document also underlines the importance of an intersectional approach — recognising that gender discrimination is often shaped by race, age, disability, class, or migration status.
Policy-Making with a Gender Lens: Challenges and Opportunities
At Paradigma Innovation, we work closely with public institutions, research centres, and civil society to design better policies through SSH-informed approaches. From this perspective, the Roadmap presents both a challenge and an opportunity: it asks us to move beyond “gender awareness” and toward systemic change in how public policies are designed, implemented, and evaluated.
Some of the key takeaways we identify:
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Gender equality must be mainstreamed in all policy areas, not limited to social or equality portfolios. This includes economic, environmental, educational, security, and urban planning policies.
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Evidence matters: robust, sex-disaggregated data and gender-sensitive indicators are essential for tracking progress, identifying blind spots, and avoiding unintended consequences.
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Care is a collective responsibility: the Roadmap’s strong emphasis on care work (often invisible or undervalued) aligns with our long-standing interest in rethinking welfare systems and labour policies from a gendered perspective.
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Institutions matter: achieving gender equality requires adequate infrastructure, legal frameworks, political will, and sustained funding. Equality bodies and local governments are key actors in this process.
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Participatory approaches are essential: the success of gender-equal policies depends on the meaningful involvement of those affected. Feminist movements, civil society organisations, and researchers play a vital role in shaping agendas and holding institutions accountable.
Aligning with Paradigma’s Mission
As a team working at the intersection of public policy, social research, and democratic innovation, we see this Roadmap as a strong call to action. It provides a shared horizon for EU institutions, Member States, and stakeholders to align their efforts.
At Paradigma, we contribute to this agenda by:
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Supporting the co-creation of gender-sensitive public policies, especially at the local and regional level.
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Applying SSH methods, including qualitative research, policy analysis, and participatory design — to uncover structural barriers and amplify lived experiences.
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Facilitating cross-sectoral dialogues between policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors.
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Promoting gender mainstreaming in policy evaluations, public consultations, and strategic planning.
We believe the Roadmap offers a valuable reference point for future EU strategies, funding instruments, and institutional reforms. But it must be followed by concrete actions, political leadership, and strong alliances.
Looking Forward
As the EU prepares its post-2025 Gender Equality Strategy, there is an open invitation for all actors, from municipalities to research networks, to engage and contribute. This is not only a policy agenda; it is a democratic commitment to build societies where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive, participate, and be safe.
At Paradigma Innovation, we stand ready to support this process, not just through words, but through action. Because gender equality is not only a matter of justice, it is a cornerstone of better policy-making.
Interested in working with us on gender-sensitive policy design or SSH-based innovation? Contact us or learn more about our recent work.