Gender Equality: A Shared Priority for the EU and UNESCO

Gender equality is not only a human right — it is essential for sustainable development and lasting peace. For UNESCO, it is a global priority, guiding efforts to reduce inequalities and promote inclusion for all. The EU shares this commitment through its Gender Equality Strategy and Roadmap for Women’s Rights, advancing women’s economic independence, leadership, and safety worldwide. Together, the EU and UNESCO are driving transformative initiatives that empower women and foster inclusive progress across all sectors.

With EU support, UNESCO is training women in heritage reconstruction, giving them the skills to restore damaged sites and develop professional expertise. In Iraq, the flagship initiative Revive the Spirit of Mosul provided local employment opportunities, empowering women economically while restoring the city’s cultural and intellectual life. Mobilizing US$115 million and 15 partners, including the EU, UNESCO rehabilitated monuments, historical homes, and classrooms, creating over 7,700 local jobs. Women made up 30% of the engineers employed, and 18% of trainees participated in a Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme.

Women’s involvement in restoring heritage not only gave them practical skills but also strengthened their role in rebuilding the city. In Yemen, a EU-funded initiative similarly places women at the heart of heritage conservation, helping break gender norms and foster long-term socioeconomic recovery. Between 2018 and 2026, over 1,000 women benefited from employment opportunities in heritage preservation, working on historic sites such as the Old City of Sana’a and Shibam. By providing these opportunities, UNESCO and the EU demonstrate that post-conflict reconstruction is more efficient when women are central to the process.

With EU support, UNESCO is promoting gender-responsive education and creating opportunities for women to lead in science and technology. In Tajikistan, the EU-UNESCO partnership encourages girls to pursue careers in underrepresented fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The initiative develops competency-based curricula, textbooks, and teaching materials, and establishes national ICT competency standards for teachers. Among the learners following this new STEM curriculum, 45% are girls, demonstrating significant progress in bridging the gender gap in education.

At the professional level, UNESCO also supports women through capacity building and training opportunities. The EU-funded RESILIAGE project advocates for women-led disaster risk reduction, leveraging scientific expertise and traditional knowledge to build resilient communities. As part of the initiative, UNESCO organized a workshop on empowering women in disaster risk reduction, followed by the SHEroes Resilience Summer School, where young women participated in interactive sessions, keynote lectures, and field projects exploring the intersections between women empowerment, heritage and science. By providing these opportunities, UNESCO and the EU advance women’s leadership in scientific responses to global challenges, demonstrating that inclusive solutions are more effective when women’s voices and skills are fully integrated.

In Uzbekistan, UNESCO and the EU equip women in agriculture and rural sectors with vocational skills for improved job opportunities. In 2025, graduates were 53.3% female, and among enrollments for 2025–2026, women represented 49.9%, demonstrating how gender-responsive vocational training can strengthen economic empowerment while fostering leadership among women in rural communities. Similarly, in the Sahel region, UNESCO and the EU support women teachers as role models, improving teacher management and governance, and promoting inclusive learning environments. Over 2,759 participants benefited from the project’s activities, of whom 1,381 were women, representing more than half of the beneficiaries. Female teachers gained greater influence in shaping school policies and curricula, helping to create inclusive educational spaces for students.

Through the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, UNESCO and the EU complement these on-the-ground initiatives with evidence-based policy support. Since 2016, seven gender-focused GEM reports have been published, the most recent being Women Lead for Learning. These reports track global progress in girls’ education, identify persistent gaps, and provide concrete recommendations on issues such as inclusive leadership, comprehensive sexuality education, equitable financing, and access for marginalized groups. Recent analyses highlight the positive impact of female leadership on school practices, the barriers posed by stereotypes, and disparities in access and outcomes for girls in low and lower-middle-income countries. This data-driven approach ensures that investments in education and training are targeted effectively, reinforcing the link between women’s empowerment, equitable learning environments, and broader societal benefits.

With EU support, UNESCO is creating safer and more inclusive media environments while amplifying women’s voices. Globally, the Social Media 4 Peace (SM4P) initiative combats online gendered disinformation and trains influencers in digital peacebuilding, promoting safer online environments for women. Initially implemented in pilot countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Indonesia, and Kenya, and later expanded to Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, and South Africa, SM4P equips participants to counter hate speech, protect women from online violence, and strengthen freedom of expression. In Kenya, for example, the national coalition FECoMo developed a ten-point resolution and a policy paper on gendered disinformation and hate speech, outlining concrete strategies and recommendations to make digital spaces safer for women. 

In Afghanistan, the first phase of a EU-funded initiative provided employment opportunities to 426 journalists across more than 30 media outlets, 32% of whom were women. It also improved access to information for over 17 million Afghan citizens through the development and broadcasting of more than 2,500 reports and programs, including 1,238 addressing public interest topics and 1,850 episodes of informal education classes, while reviving seven women-led radio stations. The new phase of the project supports Afghan media as a key channel to improve access to education, healthcare, and climate adaptation for women, children, and other vulnerable groups. It funds tailored media content, provides direct financial support to women journalists, and grants to media outlets to sustain and create jobs, using a strong gender-responsive and rights-based approach with a specific focus on women-led media. By giving women a voice in media and protecting them online, these initiatives challenge harmful norms, foster inclusive communication, and promote societal change.

By training women, supporting leadership, providing economic opportunities, and amplifying their voices, the collaboration between UNESCO and the EU demonstrates that inclusive societies are stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to face global challenges. From the classrooms of the Sahel to the heritage sites in Iraq, from STEM labs in Tajikistan to digital spaces worldwide, empowering women is transforming communities and shaping a more equitable and sustainable future.