According to the Gender Equality Index 2024, women are still underrepresented at many levels, including politics. The EFN, representing over 3 million nurses, of which 90% are women, is therefore taking this opportunity of the International Women’s Day to call on the EU institutions to make sure to increase women participation in politics and policies’ development.
Better gender balance in politics, including at local, regional and EU level, is key for strong democracy, good governance and effective policymaking at all levels, including healthcare for which women/nurses are ideally positioned to both lead and support key developments. Over the years, legislation, case-law and changes to EU Treaties have brought some changes, but a lot still needs to be done to make this a full reality.
When it comes to health, many EU Member States have been introducing reforms to the health and social sector designed to improve the relevance, sustainability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the current ‘silo system’, which is not sensitive enough towards gender, but more needs to be done! Namely now that nurses/women are massively leaving the nursing profession, which will increase the gender gap in the healthcare systems. It is therefore time to act and take real actions to make the difference! In all European countries the needs in healthcare are changing, developing new demands, challenges and opportunities. We cannot keep ignoring these changes. Women/nurses can play a key role in the design of policies and lead to transform the health and social care systems in the European Union for better.
Gender equality is a core value and objective of the EU (ref. The EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 presenting the EU actions to enhance gender equality across the EU with the objective to achieve a more gender equal Europe). Women/nurses are a powerhouse for change. It is therefore more than time to make sure that women/nurses have a stronger voice in national & EU policies’ design, including health and social policies.
>> Learn more about women/nurses & EU policy through EFN courses “EU Nursing Movement”, “Nurses EU Challenges”, and “The EFN”, available on EFN courses platform.