Will the new European Commission fail to respect gender equality and inclusiveness?

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Despite the policies pursued by the European Commission in an attempt to keep the commitments made on inclusion and overcoming gender inequalities, the composition of the new EU executive body appears far from a balance between men and womenbut also in terms of ethnic diversity. Consequently, the objective of “setting an example” also appears distant, compared to the Action Plan 2023-2024.

Only nine female candidates out of a total of twenty-seven members

“In its new human resources strategy, the EU aims to increase diversity in its workforce to better reflect that of the European population,” it says in the EU plan. Yet, of the 27 candidates for the new Commission – proposed by their national governments and who will have to pass hearings before taking office by the end of the year – only one person meets these criteria. This is Hadja Labibof origin Belgianwith Algerian parents. In fact, if confirmed, she will be the first European Commissioner with a non-EU background, but not the first member to represent a minority.

In the Commission led by Jose Manuel Barrosothe Romania had indicated Leonard Orban after the country’s accession to the EU in 2007. Orban, who was commissioner from 2007 to 2010, was born to a Hungarian father and a Romanian mother.

The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) told Euronews it welcomed Labib’s appointment: “But one representative alone is not enough,” a spokesperson for the NGO said. “We therefore urge the Commission to step up its efforts, in particular by implementing stronger participation mechanisms for communities, ensuring their input is central to policy-making and addressing the democratic deficit while respecting the principles of equality and anti-racism.”

The survey among European Union employees

Among the objectives of the European Action Plan is to “better attract, support and include minorities ethnic groups, so that our workforce better reflects the societies we serve.” Enar data indicates that minorities indeed represent at least 10 percent of the population of the European Union.

In 2021, the Commission conducted ainvestigation – who analyzed the employees with disabilitybelonging to the community LGBTQ+ and of different religions – to better understand the perception of diversity and inclusion among their workers, including executive agencies and the European External Action Service.

About the 7.3 percent of the ten thousand survey participants declared that they came from an ethnic minority. The questionnaire revealed that 70 percent of respondents feel valued and respected; 80 percent would recommend their employer for diversity and inclusion. But respondents with disabilities and those from ethnic minorities tended to be less satisfied.

“To move beyond superficial diversity, we need systemic change that addresses under-representation and ensures that the voices of ethnic communities are not only heard, but also have a seat at the decision-making table“, Enar declared.

Euronews he reportedlast month that respect for diversity among members of the European Parliament is low. About 37 of the 720 newly elected MEPs have a heterogeneous background, a figure similar to that of 2019, when the previous European elections were held.

In one letter sent to the incoming Commission, more than 130 civil society organisations – including Amnesty International And Human Rights Watch – they asked that the struggles for equality and non-discrimination be included among the priority labor centers for the next five years. They also proposed the appointment of a Commissioner for Equality and Fundamental Rightswith the aim of ensuring that the next mandate has the power to renew the Union’s agenda on these issues.

The unresolved issue of gender balance in the Commission

Another pressing issue among the commissioners is gender balance. The president Ursula von der Leyen asked national governments to propose both male and female candidates. To date, however, there are only nine women, out of a total of 27 candidates to be part of the body. Only Bulgaria proposed the names of a woman and a man, as requested. It will be necessary to verify what the reaction of the Parliament will be to the individual names, which could be rejected by the legislative assembly.

One of the political priorities of the Commission’s mandate (2019-2024) is the achievement of gender equality. at all management levels. By mid-2024, the share of women in these functions has increased overall by almost 10 percentage points, to 48.8 percent. The Commission says it is among the very few public administrations in the world with such a high share of women in senior positions.