Speech by Commissioner Šuica at the UN Spotlight Initiative Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

European Commission -Speech [Check Against Delivery] Speech by Commissioner Šuica at the UN Spotlight Initiative Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Seville, 3 July 2025 Dear participants, Thank you for your kind invitation to open this UN Spotlight Initiative. It is an occasion to re-affirm our collective commitment to achieving gender equality – a vital driver of sustainable development. The European Union goal is to contribute to creating a world where every woman and girl can live free from violence and discrimination. As the Commissioner for the Mediterranean, I can assure you that investments in gender equality and ending violence against women are a top priority for the European Union in this region. Women's empowerment is at the core of our partnership with the Mediterranean region. And it will be a cross-cutting priority in the New Pact for the Mediterranean which I intend to present in the autumn. Concretely, the European Union already supports women's economic empowerment in the Mediterranean region. Women's engagement in the economy offers a great opportunity to boost growth in the region, as closing the gender employment gap could drive up GDP by nearly 60%. The European Union works closely with partners in the region to boost women's economic participation through entrepreneurship and participation in the labour market access to finance, and job creation. We work hand in hand with public authorities, financial institutions, the...