Abstract
Gender equality, the fifth of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), plays a catalytic role in advancing progress across multiple sustainability objectives. The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) estimates that achieving gender equality in the European Union could increase GDP per capita by 9.6% (approximately €3.15 trillion) and generate up to 10.5 million additional jobs by 2050, while contributing to poverty reduction, hunger, and health inequalities. Reflecting its strategic importance, the EU allocated approximately €110 billion in grants to civil society organizations between 2021 and 2027 to address gender inequality. Nevertheless, projections indicate that full gender equality may still require several decades to achieve. At the same time, recent scholarship suggests that funding structures prioritizing women-only beneficiaries may unintentionally reinforce gender polarization by framing men primarily as obstacles rather than stakeholders. The current study combines a systematic literature review of contemporary gender-equality policy approaches with a historical backcasting analysis of strategies developed by Renaissance scholars Isotta Nogarola, Christine de Pizan, and Laura Cereta. Their perspectives highlight inclusive engagement, non-oppositional gender narratives, and critical accountability without antagonism. Based on these insights, the paper proposes revisiting EU funding criteria to support more relational and inclusive policy frameworks for advancing gender equality.