European & International News

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

European & International News
Right to abortion for women raped in armed conflict - affirmed by the Netherlands

Posted on 11 April 2013 |

[Amsterdam, 8 April 2013] The Global Justice Center is happy to share the news that the Netherlands has affirmed the right of women raped in armed conflict to an abortion as part of necessary medical care under international humanitarian law.
Frans Timmermans, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and Lilaane Ploumen, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development, responded to parliamentary questions submitted in March 2013 in the Netherlands that the foreign ministry agrees with the (...) Read more
European & International News
Speaking of prostitution - A collection of arguments

Posted on 8 April 2013 |

[Stockholm, 8 April 2013] "Have you ever found yourself getting nowhere in a discussion about prostitution? Ever felt like you lack arguments? You’re not alone. Discussions about prostitution tend to stir up some strong feelings. Many find it a heavy topic, since prostitution affects us all personally – it concerns our own sexuality, our perception of ourselves and our view of others. That’s why it’s so important to support each other! If we help each other, it’s easier to find arguments."
The (...) Read more
European & International News
Open Society Foundation: Greek solidarity projects

Posted on 5 April 2013 |

(Brussels 05 April) The Open Society Foundations have launched different projects this week to show solidarity with Europe, and particularly with those in Greece who are hardest hit by the economic crisis and continue to suffer its effects.
The human cost of the crisis in Europe is immense and growing. Exacerbated by fierce and often violent hostility towards the most vulnerable in society, those in Greece are acutely affected. People are having difficulty making ends meet, are losing (...) Read more
European & International News
ENAR video series - Roma

Posted on 5 April 2013 |

(Brussels, 05 April 2013) The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) has launched another episode in their ‘Recycling Hatred’ video series. Ahead of International Roma Day on 8 April the following theme: ‘Are Roma doomed to end up begging in the streets?’ is covered in their video, which is available on ENAR’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzqNpqoJIX4 Read more
European & International News
International Coalition Supports Iceland’s Legislation on Porn

Posted on 4 April 2013 |

[Reykjavík, 3 April 2013] A global contingent of thought leaders, elected officials, NGOs, public health experts, scholars, authors, public figures and human rights and feminist organizations from 17 countries and four continents across the globe who have signed a letter endorsing Iceland’s historic proposed legislation to develop and implement legal limits on violent Internet pornography.
Signatories, who hail from India to Ontario and from Scotland to Australia, include renowned Icelandic (...) Read more
European & International News
Lithuania held liable for failure to investigate effectively into complaints of domestic violence

Posted on 28 March 2013 |

(Brussels 28 March 2013) European Court of Human Rights releases judgment in Valiuliene v. Lithuania
State held liable for failure to investigate effectively into complaints of domestic violence
The crimes of silence and the complicity of inaction.
What happens when a domestic violence complaint is received by State authorities? What happens if after a month-long period filled with violence, abuse and stress, you make your case to the authorities? Ideally, the recourse to offices of (...) Read more
European & International News
Acting against Youth Sexual Aggression and Victimisation in Europe

Posted on 28 March 2013 |

(Brussels 28 March 2013) European youth are calling the European Union (EU) and Governments to be more active in ensuring their human rights, fighting taboos around youth and sexuality and to include their participation in the decisions that impact their lives.
The conference on Youth Sexual Aggression and Victimisation (Y-SAV) in Europe, organized by Rutgers WPF, took place in Amsterdam from 26-28 April, bringing together some 75-100 experts, stakeholders and youth from Europe, to share (...) Read more
European & International News
Violence against women in Europe: news from the Fundamental Rights Agency Survey

Posted on 28 March 2013 |

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has just released a new factsheet ‘Gender-based violence against women – an EU-wide survey’ (available in 22 EU languages), which provides a concise description of the project’s background, the aims, and the content of the survey. The survey provides for the first time comparable data on women’s experiences of violence in the 27 EU Member States and Croatia, and is the largest multi-country study of its kind. The FRA is now analysing the (...) Read more
European & International News
Workshop on Gender balance in corporate boards and top-management

Posted on 22 March 2013 |

(Brussels, 22 March 2013) This week the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality committee of the European Parliament held a highly attended workshop to discuss the European Commission’s proposal for a directive aimed at improving gender balance on corporate boards.
Parliamentarians, academics and policy experts came together with arguments and recommendations for and against the proposed directive, which has attracted notable attention within European institutions and wider media.
Although a (...) Read more
European & International News
Belgium: gender-related asylum claims multiplied by three in five years

Posted on 22 March 2013 |

[Brussels, 21 March 2013] Asylum claims based on gender-based persecution increased from 6% to 17% of the total number of claims in Belgium between 2007 and 2012. Belgium is one of the rare countries that publishes gender-based statistics when it comes to asylum claims and procedures.
In Belgium, the number of asylum claims based on gender-based persecutions increased threefold between 2007 and 2012. The majority of those claims were made by women. A smaller proportion was made by men (...) Read more