16-03-2026
WO=MEN
Dutch Gender Platform is calling on the European Commission for an
explicitly gender‑sensitive approach in the implementing guidelines for
the EU Forced Labour Regulation (FLR). The fight against forced labour
can only be effective when the specific risks and experiences of women
and girls are placed front and centre.
Worldwide,
an estimated 27.6 million people are in situations of forced labour,
with women and girls disproportionately affected. This is due to a
combination of underlying factors that increase their vulnerability:
gender discrimination, unequal pay, segregation in the labour market,
and the fact that women are more often employed in informal or
precarious work. In many countries, women enjoy fewer legal rights, and the enforcement of their rights is often weak.
Gender‑based violence, sexual harassment, and power abuse are additional risk factors closely linked to forced labour. "Anyone assessing or evaluating forced labour risks cannot
ignore gender,” says Marjolein Quist, Programme Manager for Gender and
Sustainable Economy at WO=MEN. "Women are confronted differently, and more frequently, with forms of coercion, dependency, and violence that will remain invisible when it doesn't receive specific attention.”
It is therefore essential that competent authorities, companies, and civil society
organisations integrate gender‑specific risk indicators into their
procedures, collect gender‑disaggregated data, and ensure safe and
accessible grievance mechanisms. Also, for
whistleblower protection and remediation measures it is crucial to
consider the specific obstacles women face in accessing support. Strong
collaboration with, among others, women’s rights organisations is a necessary precondition. WO=MEN calls
on the European Commission to address these needs in the guidelines
currently being developed and to provide concrete tools for an effective
gender‑responsive approach.
See here the full feedback submitted by WO=MEN for the implementation guidelines of the EU Forced Labour Regulation.
