An ambitious future for Europe's women after COVID-19: mental load, gender equality in teleworking and unpaid care work after the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic crisis have impacted women differently than men in the European Union. Even if gender issues have never been so high-up in the European political agenda, the effects of the COVID-19 crisis are putting in jeopardy the progress achieved in the past decade in terms on the reduction of gender inequalities in European member states. The effects of the COVID-19 sanitary crisis have also served to highlight the need for member states to develop proactive – rather than reactive – gender mainstreaming policies. This year’s International Women’s Day is a perfect opportunity to look back on the past EU initiatives and reflect how to address the future, post-COVID- 19, challenges.