European & International News

International news globe All the latest news from the European Union, its member states, and beyond.

European & International News
ECJ opinion: surrogacy does not allow for adoption leave

Posted on 26 September 2013 |

(Brussels 26 September) The European Court of Justice has issued an opinion that woman who had child through a surrogate is not entitled to adoption leave.
The opinion, delivered by Advocate General Wahl, discusses the various questions put to it by the Equality Tribunal in Ireland. An analysis is given of the issue of surrogacy, providing the societal context of the present case, the key (legal and factual) aspects of surrogacy, as understood by the Advocate General Wahl.
In remarks in (...) Read more
European & International News
Migrant Women at the Gothenburg Book Fair

Posted on 26 September 2013 |

(Stockholm, 25 September) Migrant Women at the Gothenburg Book Fair
The Gothenburg Book (RIFFI, member of the European Network of Migrant Women.
The ample literature and culture of Romania will be reflected through 16 seminars, with the participation of numerous prestigious writers: domestic as well as those living in exile. In addition to the seminars, there are events on different debate scenes and activities at the exhibition stands.
In close cooperation with the Romanian Cultural (...) Read more
European & International News
Russia seeks seat on UN Human Rights Council

Posted on 25 September 2013 |

(Brussels 25 September) The United Nations Human Rights Council is up for election this November. This inter-governmental body within the United Nations system is made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at (...) Read more
European & International News
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Pussy Riot member, explains why she has decided to go on hunger strike

Posted on 24 September 2013 |

(Brussels 24 September) Beginning Monday, 23 September, I am going on hunger strike. This is an extreme method, but I am convinced that it is my only way out of my current situation.
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, member of Pussy Riot, imprisoned in a Russian jail explains why she has started a hunger strike.
The penal colony administration refuses to hear me. But I, in turn, refuse to back down from my demands. I will not remain silent, resigned to watch as my fellow prisoners collapse under (...) Read more
European & International News
Huge Gender Gap in Pensions: silent problem a cause for alarm

Posted on 20 September 2013 |

(Brussels, 19 September 2013) A new report from the European Commission’s Directorate General for Justice reveals shocking disparity in economic independence amongst women and men in their pension years.
How wide is the pension gap in Europe?
The report’s central estimate of the Gender gap in pensions is that the gap is very wide. The EU-27 average is 39%. The two highest figures are for Luxembourg (47%) and Germany (44%). At the other extreme, Estonia has the lowest gender pension gap (...) Read more
European & International News
Older persons among the poorest in the World: Women

Posted on 20 September 2013 |

(Brussels 20 September) For those in mid-life and beyond, ageing is often linked with poverty and income insecurity. Recent Estimations from the United Nations point to as many as 80 per cent of older people not covered by social security, suggesting that a disturbing number of around 607 million people aged 60 or older lack income security. Given that women are less likely than men to have contributed to formal pension schemes, a majority of these millions of individuals are older (...) Read more
European & International News
Cause for alarm: further attempts to restrict access to abortion in Poland

Posted on 19 September 2013 |

[Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, Brussels 19 September] The anti-choice civic bill which aims to ban all abortions in case of fetal malformation will be the subject of first reading in the Polish Parliament on 26th of September. The civic bill collected over 400,000 signatures of support and was proposed by the “Stop Abortion” initiative. Two years ago a bill banning all abortions was passed on its first reading and was only rejected in the second reading by a small majority (...) Read more
European & International News
Starting Fragile: Gender Differences In The Youth Labour Market : European Commission acknowledges unequal footing

Posted on 19 September 2013 |

(Brussels, 19 September, 2013) A new report from the European Commission’s Directorate General for Justice addresses the different starting points on the labour market for youth, through a gendered perspective in this report.
The EWL welcomes the report and looks forward to further research that addresses factors leading to gender inequality in the labour market, and the tools, measures, and methods to mitigate them.
The report entitled Starting Fragile: Gender Differences In The Youth (...) Read more
European & International News
Strong opinion on an EU initiative on female genital mutilation - EC Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men

Posted on 19 September 2013 |

(Brussels, 17 September 2013) The European Commission Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men has just published its opinion on an EU initiative on female genital mutilation (FGM). The EWL warmly welcomes the opinion, which recognises that FGM "is part of the continuum of violence against women and constitutes an obstacle to equality between women and men, a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls. It has severe short and long-term physical and (...) Read more
European & International News
Civil Society and Feminist Movements Speak Out on the Need for Governments Meeting at the United Nations to Prioritize People Above Profits!

Posted on 19 September 2013 |

[Campaign for People’s Goals for Sustainable Development, New York, NY, September 18, 2013] At the moment when world leaders gather in New York to review development agendas and plan for the coming decades, a group of grassroots and feminist organizations, networks and social movements from different backgrounds and contexts will share their visions and proposals for a just world, where all are able to live with freedom from fear and want. The People’s General Assembly on Development Justice (...) Read more