Decisions become better the more diverse the people are who make them. Therefore we need a more inclusive European foreign and security policy!

In October, the European Parliament adopted a report on Gender Equality in the EU’s foreign and security policy. Now, the European Commission has published its Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Relations 2020–2025 (GAP III)).

To ensure 50% of gender balanced management in our own services is one of parliament’s main demands and a ground-breaking indicator and important step towards an EU that leads by example. We now need clear and measurable targets to be able to assess until when we can reach this objective. I assure you that Parliament will hold the Commission and the European External Action Service accountable for this.

I strongly encourage all member states to make sure their commitments to the Women, Peace and Security agenda match this strategy. The national action plans are a welcome occasion to live up to these demands.

The Commission now needs to act and to act fast, to make this good plan change the reality in our own institutions and in the world. My demand: The Commission needs to undertake a mid-term evaluation of the implementation of GAP III and ask for a subsequent debate regarding the implementation of the plan in plenary and in the Council.