EU third Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in External Action 2021–2025 (GAP III)  

Rooted in the EU Gender Equality Strategy, the EU’s commitments to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment through all external actions are laid out in its third Gender Action Plan - GAP III: 2021-2025. Transformative and intersectional approaches shall address the structural causes of gender inequality and gender-based discrimination, including by actively engaging men and boys in challenging gender norms and stereotypes. The EU GAP III makes gender equality and women's empowerment a cross-cutting priority of EU external action, with special attention also to the situation of girls. The GAP III sets the objective that 85% of all new EU actions will contribute to achieve Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (GEWE) by 2025.

EU Member States

Italy

Guidelines on Gender Equality for Women and Girls

Gender equality is one of the key objectives of Italian development cooperation. The “Guidelines on Gender Equality for Women and Girls (2020-2024)”, define the principles and operating methods for action.

Germany

Feminist Development Policy

Germany's feminist development policy aims to combat global discrimination and oppression — particularly against women and girls — by championing equal participation in political, economic, and social life as a foundation for stable, peaceful societies.

Sweden

Strategy for gender equality and women’s and girls’ freedom and empowerment

This Strategy governs Sweden’s development cooperation for gender equality and women’s and girls’ freedoms and rights, empowerment and opportunities for the period 2025–2028

Spain

Feminist Cooperation Strategy of Spanish Cooperation 2025-2030

The Spanish  Government is reinforcing its commitment to defending gender equality and transforming the power structures that perpetuate discrimination, from a cross-cutting approach that prioritises equality, empowerment and the eradication of violence against women and girls.