Keeping up with commitments: EU challenges and recommendations for the way forward

• Author: Jeney, Petra; Cotroneo, Clara
• Pages: 42-48

IPOL | Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs

42 PE 621.927

KEEPING UP WITH COMMITMENTS: EU CHALLENGES AND

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE WAY FORWARD

In this chapter, we analyse some of the challenges and limitations of EU and EU Member States’

responses. The EU is considered a leading actor in promoting SRHR globally. At the same time, EU

attempts to foster SRHR inside the Union and in partner countries can be at times a challenging task,

as the topic touches on traditions, beliefs, norms a nd prevailing power relations.

The EU’ action in this field has encountered a number of external and internal challenges. We identify

and discuss three main sets of challenges:

A) Challenges related to traditional, cultural and religious beliefs which hinder the implementation of

EU SRHR-related programmes in partner countries (Section 3.1)

B) Political views, policy framings of the issue and major shifts: the rise of right-wing and populist views

in the EU, the clash between SRHR agendas and conservative legal systems and Britain’s exit from the

EU might jeopardise the EU’s leading role in promoting gender equality and SRHR abroad (Section 3.2)

C) Political and financial challenges brought up by the COVID-19 pandemic (Section 3.3)

Finally, we provide recommendations (Section 3.4) to push forward the EU’s response to the US MCP

and the Union’s leading role in SRHR.

3.1. EU’s external action in SRHR in challenging contexts

In its new Gender Equality Strategy (2020-2025), the Commission committed to advancing the gender

equality agenda, internally and in external action:

“Gender equality and women’s empowerment is a core objective of EU external action. It is important

that the EU’s internal and external actions in this field are coherent and mutually reinforce each other.

The EU promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment in its international partnerships,

political and human rights dialogues with third countries, EU trade policy as well as in the EU’s

neighbourhood and enlargement policies, including in the context of accession negotiations and the

Stabilisation and Association Process. Moreover, gender-related actions are included in the EU’s actions

in fragile, conflict and emergency situations”

One of the major obstacles to implementing action promoting access to sexual and reproductive

health services is ensuring the collaboration of governments and community leaders in partner

countries. 88 We explore here three major challenges, often interwoven with one another in

implementing for SRHR in partner countries and implementing related programmes. The first

challenge consists of challenging leaderships in partner countries, due to their authority role in

advancing - or obstructing - a gender agenda and empowering their communities.89 A 2019 study on

the provision of sexual and reproductive health care services in the Democratic Republic of Congo

shows that the support and engagement of community leaders is essential to expand contraceptive

and post-abortion care, given the power these personalities have in changing beliefs and habits in their

88 Ackerson, K. and Zielinski, R. , 2017. Factors influencing u se of family planning in women li ving in crisis affected are as of Sub-Saharan

Africa: A review of the literatur e. Midwifery, 54, pp.35-60.

89 Ibid.