The European Commission published the results of an Eurobarometer that show over three quarters of respondents said that getting more women into leading roles in developing countries would improve respect for human rights. In addition, MEPs and MPs in a joint meeting with women professionals appealed for a stronger gender dimension in all policy-making in response to the economic crisis which hits women harder than men.

The results of a new Eurobarometer published on the eve of International Women’s Day 2013 by the European Commission show that 78% of Europeans think that having more women in positions of political power in developing countries would ‘make things better’. Also, Europeans think women into leading roles in developing countries would improve respect for human rights, with 72% saying it would also improve living conditions and 65% believing it would prevent conflict and war. The results of a survey published in March 2012 showed that in all Member States, the proportion of women at risk of poverty or social exclusion is higher than for men.

The range of the results in the EU regarding the opinion of gender equality was notably small, with the highest results being observed in Sweden, the Netherlands and Romania (all 96%) and the lowest results in Latvia, Slovenia (both 87%) and Estonia (86%). Overall, EU respondents think the issues that affect women more than men are physical violence (83%), problems in accessing education (63%), non-respect of basic human rights and the lack of an income/job (both 61%).

Over nine in 10 Europeans thought that gender equality improves the way societies in general function and that all aid programmes should take specific account of women’s rights. In fact, a meeting organised in the European Parliament with MEPs, MPs and women professionals held to mark International Women's Day, focused on how to strengthen women's social and economic rights in the crisis. Speakers agreed that women, especially women with children, suffer more than men in times of austerity. They called for investment in life-long learning, better education, female entrepreneurship schemes and opportunities for tele-working.