Europe as the last bulwark of gender equality: European Union Policies and international frameworks in combating gender discrimination

Abstract

Background: Recent political developments in several Western countries, particularly the United States, have weakened institutional commitments to gender equality and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) frameworks. In contrast, the European Union (EU) has strengthened its legal and strategic frameworks on gender equality through binding regulations, policy coordination, and international cooperation. Purpose: This study examines the EU’s role in sustaining gender equality governance amid global policy rollback. Method: The study employs a qualitative Systematic Literature Review (SLR) combined with thematic analysis using academic literature, policy documents, institutional reports, and international frameworks published between 2015 and 2025. Findings: The findings identify three major themes: (1) the EU’s legal and strategic architecture for gender equality, including the Istanbul Convention and Pay Transparency Directive; (2) persistent structural challenges related to enforcement, care infrastructure, and algorithmic discrimination; and (3) EU–UN cooperation as a model for multilateral gender advocacy. The study argues that the EU’s multilevel governance framework provides a relatively resilient model for sustaining rights-based gender governance despite rising global political backlash.  Conclusion: The EU has built a multilevel governance framework, combining binding law, strategic plans, and international partnerships, that has let it keep its leadership on gender equality even as other major actors’ step back from similar commitments. But this only holds up in the long run if enforcement is strengthened, care infrastructure gets sustained investment, and digital governance policies like the EU AI Act build in gender sensitive safeguards. Novelty/Originality of this article: This article contributes to the literature by integrating legal, economic, and political dimensions of EU gender governance within a comparative framework of global policy regression.