EWL News

News typewritter Latest news from the European Women’s Lobby in Brussels

EWL News
European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and EWL publish joint letter to oppose European Commission withdrawal intent of Maternity Leave Directive

Posted on 25 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 14 July 2014] The European Women’s Lobby and ETUC, the European Trade Union Confederations call on Members of the European Parliament to support for the revision of the Maternity Leave Directive.
Dear MEP,
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) representing millions of working women across Europe and the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) representing over 2000 women’s organisations are alarmed that the Commission is considering withdrawing the proposal to strengthen maternity (...) Read more
EWL News
No more excuses. Gender Equality after EU Elections, what’s next?

Posted on 25 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 14 July 2014] On 9 July the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) welcomed over 120 participants to an event at the European Parliament on women in politics. The event was organized to wrap up the European Women’s Lobby 50/50 campaign 2012-2014, run in collaboration with the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies’ campaign Parity Democracy and supported by a Campaign Core Group of MEP’s from different EU political groups (ALDE, Greens/EFA, GUE-NGL, EPP, S&D).
After a networking (...) Read more
EWL News
More countries to adhere to the Istanbul Convention on the eve of its entry into force!

Posted on 25 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 22 July 2014] With the recent ratification by Sweden (1/7/2014) and France (4/7/2014), the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (known as the Istanbul Convention) will entry into force on the 1rst of August in 13 countries of the Council of Europe, from which 7 countries of the EU (Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Sweden).
The Istanbul Convention is based on the understanding that violence (...) Read more
EWL News
No More Excuses. Gender Equality after the EU Elections – What’s next?

European Parliament, Brussels - 9 JULY 2014

Posted on 4 July 2014 |

The final conference of the EWL 50/50 and Parity Democracy for Europe Campaign: No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality!
Hosted by MEP Ulrike Lunacek, with a video message from Gloria Steinem, American feminist, journalist, social and political activist.
This event will address the outcomes of the 2014 European Parliament elections from a gender perspective and aims to evaluate the impact of the Parity Democracy and EWL 50/50 Campaign.
Newly elected MEPs, governmental (...) Read more
EWL News
Threats to withdraw the Maternity Leave Directive: Measures to protect women’s rights are not red tape

The European Women’s Lobby cries scandal as the rhetoric on women’s rights and gender equality takes a blow

Posted on 4 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 4 July 2014] The European Women’s Lobby (EWL), has learned with dismay about the European Commission’s proposal to withdraw the proposed Maternity Leave Directive, as a gesture of ‘legislative management’ before the new Commission is installed. “This is a classic example of the backlash against women’s rights and gender equality in Europe. It sends a very bad signal to women and men in Europe about how much the EU can do to support real people’s rights and lives.” says Joanna Maycock, (...) Read more
EWL News
Open Letter to newly designated EC President Mr Jean-Claude Juncker

Posted on 4 July 2014 |

European Women’s Lobby calls on the new Commission President to designate a Commissioner for women’s rights and gender equality to achieve gender equality in the next five years.
[Brussels, 4 July 2014]
Dear newly designated President of the European Commission, Dear Mr Juncker,
The European Women’s Lobby (EWL), the largest coalition of women’s organisations in the European Union , comprising of members in all EU Member States and three accession countries, would like to congratulate you on (...) Read more
EWL News
Now or never: PARITY in the topjobs of the European Union

Posted on 3 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 30 June 2014] By the end of last week, the Council of Ministers finally decided to nominate Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission. Following the democratic decision taken by the European voters, giving the majority to the European People’s Party, it was a necessary step. But having now nominated a man as the President of the Commission one of the most influential positions at the EU institutions, we urge the Member States to use the opportunity to establish (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL celebrates former FEMM Chair and welcomes new FEMM Committee!

Posted on 3 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 3 July 2014] On Thursday 26 June, the European Women’s Lobby invited partners, colleagues and friends to a farewell drink to thank Mikael Gustafsson, Chair of the European Parliament Committee for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) from 2011 to 2014. Under the leadership of Mr Gustafsson, the FEMM Committee has taken a strong role in promoting women’s rights and calling for gender equality at European and national level.
The EWL, together with partners from NGOs, UN Women, (...) Read more
EWL News
Gender Equality and Women’s Rights, the missing link in the Country Specific Recommendations

Posted on 2 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 25 June 2014] The European Council meeting on the 26 and 27 July, will endorse the Country-Specific-Recommendations (CSRs) which were issued to 26 Member States (excluding the Troika countries: Greece and Cyprus) by the European Commission on 2nd of June. The CSRs are intended to guide Member States national structural reform policy. However, the dominance of macroeconomic priorities primarily focussing on austerity has serious repercussions for gender equality policies.
CSRs (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL part of webinar to launch 2nd Citizens Summit: "Beyond Europe’s Growth Obsession: Rights, Justice and Democracy for all" (10 July 2014)

Posted on 1 July 2014 |

[Brussels, 1 July 2014] On 10 July 2014, the European Women’s Lobby will take part to the webinar launching the 2nd Citizens Summit, to take place in Brussels on 23-24 September. The webinar is a great opportunity for civil society, citizens and other actors to get to know more about the Citizens Summit and prepare their participation!
The European Civil Society Contact Group (CSCG) organised a first European Citizens’ Summit with 250 participants in June 2013 as a shadow discursive space to (...) Read more