Source: European Parliament
More than one fifth of the EU population lives at risk of poverty or social exclusion with women at higher risk. EU initiatives, such as the Council Recommendation on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion address the challenge and the upcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy will aim at facilitating people’s access to the essential protections and services, along with addressing the root causes of poverty.
In the Roadmap for Women’s Rights[1], the Commission lists combating women’s poverty and facilitating access to affordable menstrual hygiene products as key policy objectives to uphold and advance the principle of ‘equal pay and economic empowerment’ and ‘the highest standards of health’, respectively.
The inability of women and girls to access menstrual products could make them miss school or work and negatively impact their health. Member States are free to apply a reduced rate or exempt menstrual products of value added tax[2] although this may not necessarily result in a reduction in price.
Through the Mutual Learning Programme in Gender Equality, the Commission will invite Member States to organise an exchange of good practices on women’s poverty, including period poverty.
The communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health[3] supports vulnerable groups, including children and women in vulnerable situations, through its 20 flagship initiatives and around EUR 1.2 million in funding opportunities.
Initiatives include the identification of best and promising practices to support knowledge sharing, such as the Neunerhaus mental health practice[4] targeting women experiencing poverty.
- [1] https://commission.europa.eu/news/eu-roadmap-womens-rights-renewed-push-gender-equality-2025-03-07_en.
- [2] According to Annex III, point (3), of Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax, OJ L 347, 11.12.2006, p. 1, as amended by Council Directive (EU) 2022/542.
- [3] https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/comprehensive-approach-mental-health_en.
- [4] https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/dyna/bp-portal/submission/search?call=Mental%20Health.