Women of all ages face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination: ageism, sexism, racism, ableism, and classism through their life course. Older women have led the struggle for achieving gender equality and combatting gender-based violence, laying the groundwork for the rights we enjoy today, while younger women continue to push that legacy forward. Intergenerational solidarity requires society to actively support and strengthen connections across feminist movements, fostering unity and shared purpose across all ages. Achieving a ‘Union of Equality’ demands that we combat ageism and gender inequality as interlinked issues and tackle the barriers that limit women’s full participation and recognition.
Ageism, coupled with gendered stereotypes, create inequalities for women of all ages in employment, social protection, education, healthcare, long-term care, political participation, and more. AGE Platform Europe calls for mainstreaming age and gender into all EU policies and initiatives: https://www.age-platform.eu/areas-of-work/age-equality/ To achieve age equality, we need an EU Action Plan to Combat Ageism, that should be an integral part of the Intergenerational Fairness Strategy, grounded on a human rights-based approach, and using an intersectional gender perspective. Tackling discrimination and rethinking outdated socio-economic policies through the lens of intergenerational fairness and gender is critical to building a fairer, and more inclusive future for all.