How to watch the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM)

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

FEMM meeting opening and VET opinion vote

Lina Gálvez S&D

The FEMM committee opens its meeting, adopts the agenda and minutes, and proceeds through all voting blocks on the gender‑equality‑focused opinion on boosting skills and vocational education and training, including compromises, individual amendments and the final roll‑call vote.

In this chapter

1. Opening of FEMM meeting and agenda adoptionLina Gálvez
2. Opinion on VET skills: substitutions and first voting blockLina Gálvez
3. Opinion on VET skills: remaining amendments and final voteLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

FEMM mission to Georgia: findings, political context and follow-up

Lina Gálvez and 3 others

Members report on the FEMM mission to Georgia, detailing democratic backsliding, gender equality setbacks and civil society repression, debate methodological choices such as not meeting government representatives, and discuss how Parliament should structure follow-up, manage expectations and plan future engagement around elections and visits.

In this chapter

1. FEMM mission to Georgia: objectives and political contextLina Gálvez
2. Georgia mission: gender backlash and methodological concernsCarolina Morace
3. Georgia mission: follow‑up, elections and next stepsMaria Noichl

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

EU General Budget 2027: FEMM opinion and resolution votes

Lina Gálvez and 1 other

FEMM conducts its institutional role in the EU budget procedure by voting on its opinion to the 2027 General Budget and the accompanying resolution, including substitutions, compromise texts, individual and roll-call amendments, and final adoption of the committee’s position.

In this chapter

1. General Budget 2027: committee vote in FEMMLina Gálvez
2. Accompanying resolution on budget: adoptionLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Opening of FEMM meeting and agenda adoption

Lina Gálvez S&D

Procedural opening of the FEMM meeting with adoption of the agenda, coordinators’ decisions and previous minutes, setting the framework for subsequent budgetary and policy items.

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Exchange of views with Irish Presidency

MEPs: online violence, disability inclusion and gender-based violence

Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus and 5 others

Members raise concerns about online gender-based violence and social media blocking of women’s rights NGOs, and question how the Presidency will act within EU digital policies, disability inclusion and the long-stalled Equal Treatment (Horizontal) Directive. Further questions address funding for equality and LGBTQIA+ NGOs, banning conversion practices EU-wide, and advancing recognition of gender-based violence and femicide as an EU crime alongside calls to broaden Ireland’s mother-and-baby institutions redress scheme.

In this chapter

1. Q: Scheuring-Wielgus (S&D): online violence and NGO blockingJoanna Scheuring-Wielgus
2. Q: De la Pisa (Patriotes): disability inclusion prioritiesMargarita de la Pisa Carrión
3. Q: Kelleher (Renew): disability gaps and Equal Treatment DirectiveBilly Kelleher

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Exchange of views with Irish Presidency

Chair: Q&A format and care economy

Lina Gálvez and 1 other

The Chair outlines the values-focused priorities of the Irish Presidency, announces Parliament’s Gender Equality Week and explains the Q&A speaking order before opening the floor. The first intervention asks the Presidency for concrete Council actions and conclusions on the care economy, especially recognition of carers’ skills and links to EU competitiveness.

In this chapter

1. Chair: reaction, Gender Equality Week and Q&A formatLina Gálvez
2. Q: Meleti (EPP): care economy and carers’ skillsEleonora Meleti

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Exchange of views with Irish Presidency

Opening and Irish Presidency equality agenda

Lina Gálvez S&D

The Chair opens the item and invites Minister Foley to set out the Irish Council Presidency’s overarching, values-based approach, its link to EU equality strategies and Treaty obligations, and its concrete gender and equality priorities, including the Equal Treatment Directive, Council conclusions, high-level conferences and wider inclusion initiatives on LGBTQI+ rights, disability, Roma/Travellers, and equality data.

In this chapter

1. Chair: opening and framing of exchangeLina Gálvez
2. Minister Foley: values-based presidency and EU equality strategies
3. Council agenda: gender equality, Equal Treatment Directive, trio
4. LGBTQI+ equality, conversion practices and wider inclusion agenda

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Votes

Political groups: gender‑sensitive VET and skills priorities

Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak and 5 others

Political groups set out their positions on VET as a tool for women’s financial independence, tackling gender segregation and dropout, dignifying essential and care professions, addressing care‑related barriers through flexible and family‑friendly training, and promoting inclusive, gender‑sensitive skills policies that balance subsidiarity, competitiveness and equality objectives.

In this chapter

1. EPP: VET for women’s independence and regional heritageJagna Marczułajtis-Walczak
2. S&D: addressing gender segregation and dropout in VETMarianne Vind
3. Patriots: dignity of essential trades and flexible VET for mothersMargarita de la Pisa Carrión

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Vocational education and skills: gender equality in VET

Lina Gálvez and 6 others

The committee examines the FEMM opinion on boosting skills and vocational education and training, with political groups outlining differing views on gender mainstreaming, the status of VET versus academic paths, subsidiarity, support for mothers and carers, women in STEM, and VET as a public good for tackling labour market gender segregation and regional development.

In this chapter

1. Introduction of FEMM opinion on vocational education and skillsLina Gálvez
2. EPP: VET for women’s independence and regional craftsJagna Marczułajtis-Walczak
3. S&D: tackling gender segregation in VETMarianne Vind

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Votes

FEMM: outcome of performance file and launch of VET opinion

Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle and 1 other

The rapporteur closes the previous performance regulation file by confirming broad support and reaffirming gender equality as a horizontal Union principle, then the Chair opens the FEMM opinion on boosting skills and VET in times of transition, outlines her draft gender‑mainstreaming amendments and frames the next debate among political groups.

In this chapter

1. Rapporteur’s closing remarks and majority for FEMM opinionRaquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle
2. Chair: introduction of FEMM opinion on VET and skillsLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

EU gender-responsive budgeting and SRHR debate

Maria Noichl and 7 others

Opening interventions focus on integrating gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights into the EU budget, contrasting feminist and conservative positions on abortion funding, gender budgeting, and programmes such as Daphne, before the rapporteur closes by highlighting a broad pro-EU majority for the gender-related budget opinion.

In this chapter

1. Abortion initiative and gender-budget criticismMaria Noichl
2. Greens support gender-focused 2027 EU budgetBeatrice Timgren
3. ESN: criticism of Daphne and abortion focusIrmhild Boßdorf
4. Rapporteur closes gender-budget item and stresses majorityRaquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Votes

Political groups’ positions on gender priorities in 2027 budget

Loucas Fourlas and 7 others

EPP and S&D support reinforced funding for Daphne, EIGE and non-regressive equality measures, while Patriots and ENS criticize gender mainstreaming and abortion-focused spending, and the Greens defend strong SRHR and women’s rights funding against more family-focused alternatives.

In this chapter

1. EPP and S&D: support for Daphne, EIGE and non-regressive fundingLoucas Fourlas
2. Patriots group: critique of gender mainstreaming and budget useMargarita de la Pisa Carrión
3. Greens and ENS: pro‑SRHR versus pro‑family funding prioritiesKatrin Langensiepen

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Votes

Introduction of FEMM opinion on 2027 EU budget

Lina Gálvez and 1 other

The chair opens the agenda item on the 2027 general EU budget and the rapporteur presents FEMM’s proposed priorities and funding increases for gender equality, Daphne, EIGE and ESF+ linked initiatives.

In this chapter

1. Item 5 introduction: 2027 EU budget opinionLina Gálvez
2. Rapporteur: gender equality priorities in 2027 budgetRaquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Votes

Vote on opinion: expenditure tracking and performance framework

Lina Gálvez S&D

Members proceed through compromise and individual amendments and then adopt the FEMM opinion on the regulation establishing an EU budget expenditure tracking and performance framework, using show of hands and electronic checks for close results.

In this chapter

1. Voting block I: compromises 1–12 and key early amendmentsLina Gálvez
2. Voting block II: compromises 20–17 and related amendmentsLina Gálvez
3. Final amendment series and adoption of opinionLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Votes

Opening of FEMM meeting and procedural decisions

Lina Gálvez S&D

The chair opens the FEMM committee meeting, adopts the agenda and minutes, confirms substitutions, and prepares the committee for the vote on the opinion on the budget expenditure tracking and performance framework.

In this chapter

1. Opening, agenda and minutes adoptionLina Gálvez
2. Rapporteur’s introduction: gender equality in EU budget frameworkLina Gálvez
3. Establishing substitutes and closing the voting listLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

MEPs’ questions on transposition gaps, enforcement and business concerns

Sirpa Pietikäinen and 1 other

MEPs from EPP, S&D, the Greens and The Left highlight the life‑course impact of pay gaps, existing national pay transparency laws, and business resistance, and ask which Member States are lagging, how enforcement capacities and labour inspectorates will be supported, how strictly the directive will be applied, and what Parliament can do to support timely and effective transposition.

In this chapter

1. EPP – Pietikäinen: data, equal value and support to Member StatesSirpa Pietikäinen
2. S&D – Gálvez: impact over the life course and business resistanceLina Gálvez
3. Greens and The Left: enforcement capacity and evaluation of the directive
4. EPP – Estaràs: country performance and need for strict enforcement

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Opening and Commission overview on Pay Transparency Directive

Lina Gálvez S&D

The Chair opens the agenda point on the Pay Transparency Directive and the Commission presents the directive’s objectives, rejects reopening or ‘stopping the clock’, reports on the state of transposition, and outlines the main support tools and guidance prepared for Member States and social partners.

In this chapter

1. Chair: agenda item on Pay Transparency DirectiveLina Gálvez
2. Commission: state of play, rumors and transposition status
3. Commission: support tools for effective implementationLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting HEARING

Hearing conclusion: experts’ final remarks and chair’s closure

Lina Gálvez and 8 others

Final expert interventions on Taliban gender persecution, calls for EU accountability and support to women’s rights, followed by the Chair’s formal closure of the gender apartheid hearing and transition to the agenda item on the EU gender equality strategy.

In this chapter

1. Experts’ responses: religion, gender apartheid and EU responsibilitiesLina Gálvez
2. Chair: closure of prior hearing and agenda changeLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting HEARING

Political groups and MEPs on Taliban engagement and EU coherence

Lina Gálvez and 8 others

Political group coordinators and MEPs react to the Commission’s meeting with Taliban representatives, condemn any normalization with regimes practising gender apartheid, debate the role of religion and returns policy, and propose concrete FEMM follow‑up such as a protest declaration and an urgent exchange with the Commission on conditionality and non‑refoulement.

In this chapter

1. Political group coordinators: condemnation of Commission–Taliban engagementLina Gálvez
2. MEPs’ reactions to Taliban meeting and institutional follow‑upIrmhild Boßdorf

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Institutional clarification and Barakzai: EU-Taliban talks and global gender apartheid

Lina Gálvez S&D

The Chair clarifies institutional responsibility for the Taliban visit as a Commission-led, member state–driven technical dialogue on irregular migration and distances Parliament from hosting the Taliban, then introduces Shukria Barakzai, who broadens the discussion to global patterns of gender apartheid and structural exclusion of women in Afghanistan, Iran, Kurdish regions and other conflict and authoritarian contexts.

In this chapter

1. Chair: clarification on Taliban visit and institutional rolesLina Gálvez
2. Shukria Barakzai: global scope of gender oppression and gender apartheid

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Expert Petra Meram: Taliban gender apartheid and EU engagement

Lina Gálvez S&D

Petra Meram questions the EU’s decision to host a Taliban delegation in Brussels, warns of legitimising a regime built on systematic gender persecution, details the Taliban’s codified system of gender apartheid through hundreds of decrees targeting women, and calls for stronger international legal and political action by the EU and global community.

In this chapter

1. Expert Petra Meram: questioning EU engagement with TalibanLina Gálvez
2. Expert Petra Meram: defining Taliban gender apartheid regime
3. Expert Petra Meram: appeal for international action

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting HEARING

Opening and expert framing of gender apartheid

Lina Gálvez S&D

The Chair opens the hearing on gender oppression under Taliban and Iranian rule, sets the objective of addressing gender apartheid as a potential crime against humanity, and the invited experts outline the legal, political and societal architecture of Taliban and Iranian gender persecution, situating it in a global pattern and specifying asks towards the EU and Member States.

In this chapter

1. Chair: opening, mandate and agenda of hearingLina Gálvez
2. Expert Petra Madam: Taliban gender apartheid and EU engagement risksLina Gálvez
3. Barakzai: global gender apartheid and EU responsibilitiesLina Gálvez
4. Doabi: Kurdish women, Woman Life Freedom, and EU asksLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Hearing opening: mandate and gender apartheid focus

Lina Gálvez S&D

The Chair opens the public hearing on gender oppression and gender apartheid against Iranian and Kurdish women, frames it in a human rights and legal context, recalls Parliament’s resolutions on Taliban gender persecution and emerging gender apartheid, and explains the objective to consider recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute.

In this chapter

1. Public hearing on gender oppression: opening and contextLina Gálvez
2. Chair: Parliament stance on Taliban and gender apartheidLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Agora EU programme and European Social Fund opinions: detailed voting

Lina Gálvez S&D

Members finalise the Agora EU 2028–2034 report and then conduct an extensive sequence of compromise, split and roll-call votes on the FEMM opinion for the European Social Fund in national and regional partnership plans, gradually shaping and then adopting the opinion text before the Chair suspends the sitting for a short break.

In this chapter

1. Agora EU programme report: final amendments and adoptionLina Gálvez
2. European Social Fund opinion: opening and early votesLina Gálvez
3. European Social Fund: compromises 5–14 and multiple roll-callsLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Gender inequalities in health report: adoption and minority position

Lina Gálvez S&D

The committee votes through a dense package of compromise and individual amendments on the gender inequalities in health report, ultimately adopting the text by final roll-call, after which a member presents a formal minority opinion criticising references to gender identity, sexual and reproductive rights, and perceived EU overreach while supporting targeted health measures for women and mothers.

In this chapter

1. Gender inequalities in health report: amendments and final voteLina Gálvez
2. Minority opinion on gender and health reportLina Gálvez

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Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Opening of FEMM meeting and agenda dispute

Lina Gálvez and 1 other

The Chair opens the FEMM meeting, deals with the postponed Georgia mission report, and faces an EPP point of order challenging how FEMM opinions are allocated, leading to a structured clarification of voting steps on agenda changes and opinion formats before holding initial votes on adding the item and assigning opinions to the Chair.

In this chapter

1. Opening of meeting and agenda adoptionLina Gálvez
2. Voting procedure clarification and list of substitutesLina Gálvez
3. Agenda addition and allocation of FEMM opinionsLina Gálvez
4. Allocation of opinion on boosting skills and VETLina Gálvez

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