On the occasion of International Women’s Day on 8 March 2023, we, Mayors of big European cities, reconfirm our commitment to secure women’s rights and achieve true gender equality. As the level of government closest to citizens, cities have long been at the forefront of working towards gender equal societies by empowering women and girls to live a fulfilled and rich life, tackling gender stereotypes, combatting gender-based violence and working against the structural discrimination still faced by women today in all areas of life, including their sexual and reproductive rights. While this is a moment to recognise and celebrate our progress, we want to highlight that there is still a long way to go to achieve true equality. The EU gender pay gap of 13 percent and the gender pension gap of 29 percent between women and men is currently being exacerbated by increasing rising costs of living costs, putting women at a higher risk of poverty and exclusion.

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