The European Parliament has passed a resolution urging members of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to fully recognise transgender women as women.
The Commission is the principal global intergovernmental UN body tasked with promoting gender equality, women’s rights and the empowerment of women.
Its annual 70th two-week session will bring together representatives of UN Member States, civil society organisations and UN entities at UN headquarters in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026.
Ahead of the meeting, the European Parliament adopted the resolution on 12 February in Strasbourg, setting out its recommendations to strengthen women’s rights and equality at the gathering.
Strong Support for Trans Inclusion
The non-binding European resolution passed by 340 votes to 141, with 68 members abstaining. In it, the European Parliament emphasised “the importance of the full recognition of trans women as women.”
It also noted that “their inclusion is essential for the effectiveness of any gender-equality and anti-violence policies” and called for “recognition of and equal access for trans women to protection and support services.”
The resolution further reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to “the values of diversity, equality and inclusion [DEI]” and stressed the need to “strongly condemn the attacks by anti-gender and anti-rights movements, which spread lies, undermine democracy and target women’s and LGBTIQ+ rights.”
Contrast with United States Policy
The European Parliament’s position stands in stark contrast to that of the United States administration, which has adopted an official policy recognising only two sexes and genders, describing these as “an individual’s immutable biological classification as either male or female,” while also declaring opposition to DEI.
This stance has seen the US government adopt anti-trans and anti-DEI policies, erase transgender identities across its websites, forms and documents, and require that programmes it funds globally reject DEI values.
Focus of the 2026 CSW Themes
The 2026 themes of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women focus on strengthening access to justice for all women and girls by promoting inclusive legal systems, removing discriminatory laws and practices, and addressing structural barriers.
They also aim to advance women’s full participation and leadership in public life while eliminating violence to achieve gender equality and empowerment.
