FEANTSA’s statement on the European Commission’s Gender Equality strategy 2026-2030

At FEANTSA, we welcome the publication of the new Gender Equality Strategy (2026–2030) and support efforts to strengthen and promote equality across the European Union. We particularly welcome the Strategy’s emphasis on intersectionality and its recognition that gender inequalities are shaped by multiple and overlapping forms of discrimination. However, despite this commitment, the Strategy reveals a significant gap when it comes to those most severely excluded, something FEANTSA is very concerned about. While it refers to vulnerable groups in the context of housing exclusion, such as single parents, older people, and victims of gender-based violence, it fails to explicitly address homelessness, and in particular women experiencing homelessness. Across Europe, women experiencing homelessness remain one of the most marginalised and invisible groups. Their experiences are shaped by complex and intersecting vulnerabilities, including poverty, gender-based violence, migration status, and limited access to social protection. According to FEANTSA’s latest report across Europe, an estimated 1.2 million people are homeless. While women are reported to account for 15-20 percent of the homeless, these figures are underestimating the true scale of women’s homelessness. Due to prevalence of hidden homelessness, women may represent up to 50 percent of those experiencing homelessness. Yet, these realities remain largely absent from EU gender equality frameworks. As the Strategy outlines concrete actions under each of the eight principles of the Roadmap for Women’s Rights, FEANTSA proposes a number of targeted additions to ensure that women experiencing homelessness are not overlooked in its implementation.