Creating a gender-equal world is a mission for all

IN EARLY 2020, Awa had just turned 15 years old when she heard that her marriage was being arranged. Escaping it seemed difficult, but she found the courage to defy her father's decision. Her small village in Mali had a committee for the prevention of early marriage, and she took her case to them. This body of respected people presented Awa's father with all the arguments against early marriage, and managed to convince him. It is to help the cause of young girls like Awa that the European Union (EU) supports this committee and many other projects in this area around the world.

Our goal at the EU is for everyone to have the same power to shape society and their own lives. We are putting it in black and white in our third Gender Action Plan, adopted on Nov 24, calling for a gender-equal world. Now, due to the significant setback that Covid-19 has brought on the global work on equality and as we watch civil society organisations, including women's and LGBT+ organisations, facing shrinking civic and democratic space, stepping up in building a gender-equal world is more important than ever.

Awa's story is similar to those of many girls around the world who manage to gain control over their lives and stand up to gender-based inequalities and discrimination. They have a voice, they drive change, and they have the EU by their side for support. Women's rights are human rights; and gender equality is a non-negotiable value of the EU - a value which should be reflected in EU's external action and in the design of all EU development programmes.