European & International News

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

European & International News
UN Women Director welcomes the Agreed Conclusions of the 2013 Commission on the Status of Women but announces her departure

Posted on 18 March 2013 |

[New York, 16 March 2013] On the last day of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women, UN Women Director Michelle Bachelet delivered a [statement->http://www.unwomen.org/2013/03/un-women-welcomes-agreed-conclusions-at-the-commission-on-status-of-women to welcome the outcome of the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) where UN Member States were called on delivering on the elimination and prevention of violence against women and girls. "The agreement is one step (...) Read more
European & International News
Poverty has a female face: Counting the cost of the crisis

Posted on 15 March 2013 |

(Brussels, 15 March 2013) This week in Strasbourg several debates revealed the depths of the crisis and the disproportionate effects that the cuts and changes have wrought upon the women of Europe. “Women are facing a silent crisis which worsens and weakens their condition. Before the economic crisis unemployment, precarious work, part-time work, low salaries and slow career paths already affected women more then men. Today, with the effects of austerity policies, they are suffering a double (...) Read more
European & International News
It is high time to end impunity of gender based violence: ICC Prosecutor Bensouda and Eve Ensler keep on rising.

Posted on 15 March 2013 |

[Brussels, 15 March 2013] Ahead of the International Women’s Day, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and One Billion Rising initiator Eve Ensler released a joint statement against impunity of gender-based violence.
On 14 February 2013, one billion people rose in 207 countries to dance and strike and say no to sexual violence. One Billion Rising was an expression of an urgent and deep desire of women and men across the planet to live without constant threat of violation, (...) Read more
European & International News
Germany launches first Federal 24 hour helpline

Posted on 7 March 2013 |

[Brussels, 07 March 2013] The German Federal Government has created the first nationwide 24 hour accessible helpline for women affected by male violence. While there is already a strong network of support facilities in Germany, getting women who are affected to access these facilities is a challenge. A free, confidential, multilingual, 24 hour accessible helpline that can respond anonymously at any time without hurdles was missing. But no longer.
The "violence against women" helpline (...) Read more
European & International News
Equality Now launches its new campaign "Survivor Stories" on human trafficking

Posted on 7 March 2013 |

[Brussels, 07 March 2013] On the occassion of the 57th Commission on the Status of Women and of International Women’s Day, Equality Now has launched its new campaign "Survivor Stories" to raise awareness on human trafficking.
Equality Now recalls that "Trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation is the fastest growing criminal industry around the globe despite the fact that international law and the laws of 134 countries criminalize it". At the EU level, the Directive on (...) Read more
European & International News
European Commission calls for zero tolerance for female genital mutilation

Posted on 7 March 2013 |

[Brussels, 07 March 2013] Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding and Commissioner Cecilia Malmström organised a high-level roundtable event to discuss how the European Union can help Member States to eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).
The Commissioners were joined by Members of the European Parliament, world’s leading anti-FGM campaigners and representatives of NGOs from various countries, including Belgium, (...) Read more
European & International News
Apartheid in Europe? The European Network Against Racism poses the question

Posted on 4 March 2013 |

[Brussels, 04 March 2013]
Following from the launch of the 1st episode of the Recycling Hatred series, ENAR has launched the 2nd episode today: ‘Is there evidence of apartheid practices in Europe?’
It is available here on ENAR’s YouTube channel.
The following episodes will be launched in the coming weeks. Coming soon in episode #3 next week: Are racist crimes really an issue? Read more
European & International News
28 February 2013 is the third European Equal Pay Day!

Every year, women in Europe work 59 days ‘for free’

Posted on 1 March 2013 |

[Brussels, 28 February 2013] Today is the third European Equal Pay Day, an annual initiative by the European Commission. This event marks the extra number of days that women would need to work to match the amount earned by men: 59 days in 2013.
A persistent gender pay gap undermining women’s economic independence
In 2010, in the EU, women earned on average 16,4% less than men. The highest gaps are found in Czech Republic and Austria, with an average of 25.5%, and in Estonia, with an (...) Read more
European & International News
The impact of the crisis on gender equality needs to be addressed, say Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee of the European Parliament

Posted on 22 February 2013 |

[Brussels, 22 February 2013] On 19 February, the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee of the European Parliament voted a non-legislative resolution on the impact of the crisis on women. MEPs are calling the EU Member States and the European Commission to implement a set of measures to address the “double punishment” women suffer since the beginning of the crisis. The resolution will be voted in the plenary session in March.
Not a “he-cession” after all
“Women are facing a silent (...) Read more
European & International News
Ireland: One in four sex buyers believe prostitutes trafficked, controlled or underage

Posted on 22 February 2013 |

[Dublin, 21 February 2013] A member organisation of the EWL, the [Immigrant Council of Ireland->http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie has recently released the findings of an online survey profiling sex buyers and non-buyers in Ireland. The survey looked at the characteristics of these groups, their experiences, the reasons behind why they had or had not bought sex, and the perceived effect of a number of measures aimed at deterring the purchase of sex.
The survey was conducted as part of a wider (...) Read more