"The EU has made significant progress over the last decades in delivering greater equality between women and men; it is essential that this progress is continued. There is a need to ensure that advances made in protecting and promoting the rights of women and men are not eroded by measures enacted to meet the economic crisis. It is therefore essential that the crisis should not be used as an argument to reduce public resources allocated to policies and actions aimed at combating discrimination between women and men." (Quoted from paper)