European & International News

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

European & International News
Art for Action campaign calls for end to female genital mutilation

Posted on 10 January 2013 |

[Brussels, 10 January 2013] The END FGM European Campaign, an Amnesty International-led campaign, will host a seminar in the morning of 27 February 2013 with high-level decision makers, experts including our partners and people from the communities affected by FGM.
In Europe, an estimated 500,000 women and girls live with the lifelong consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM); another 180,000 are at risk each year. What can the EU do to end this human rights violation?
With over (...) Read more
European & International News
UK pledges to ensure abortion access for women raped in war

Posted on 10 January 2013 |

[Global Justice Center, New York, 10 January 2013] The United Kingdom (UK) announced a historic change in their policy on abortions for women raped in armed conflict, a move that should have enormous global impact on health care given women in war zones. UK government spokesperson, Baroness Northover, speaking in the House of Lords on January 9, 2013, acknowledged that girls and women raped in armed conflict have absolute legal rights to comprehensive medical care, including abortions when (...) Read more
European & International News
Lack of support for motherhood undermines women’s career prospects, says OECD

Posted on 19 December 2012 |

[Brussels, 19 December 2012] The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] has just released its report on Gender Equality “Closing the Gender Gap: Act Now”. The report analyses the existing gender gap in terms of education and employment between men and women in the 31 OECD members countries, showing that gains in female education attainment have contributed to a worldwide increase in women’s participation in the labour force, but considerable gaps remain in working hours, (...) Read more
European & International News
EU database of board-ready women launched

Posted on 14 December 2012 |

[Brussels, 13 December 2012] On 12 December, the European Business Schools’ Women on Boards Initiative launched their ‘Global Board Ready Women’ online searchable database in order to promote gender equality on company boards. The database already contains the details of 8000 well-qualified women who fulfill a clear set of criteria for publicly-listed company board-level positions. The women listed have at least five years’ experience in the given fields and are available for service.
For the (...) Read more
European & International News
Where is the other half of the EU when the EU receives the Noble Peace Prize?

Posted on 12 December 2012 |

[Brussels, 12 December] On Monday the Nobel Peace Prize was handed over to the European Union in Oslo. The three recipients at the ceremony were: European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Parliament President Martin Schulz.
This is a confirmation that the EU still represents itself as only male. Even though the European Union and its institutions emphasize their commitment to gender equality through various EU treaties (...) Read more
European & International News
MEP Emer Costello issues statement of support for Brussels’ Call to end prostitution

Posted on 11 December 2012 |

[Brussels, 06 December 2012] Speaking at the conference "10 years of policies on prostitution: Outcomes of the Swedish and Dutch options, and ways forward" in the European Parliament last 04 December, Dublin Labour MEP Emer Costello, said more must be done at EU level to tackle the links between prostitution and organised crime. The purpose of the conference, hosted by the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), is to evaluate policy development on prostitution across Europe over the past ten (...) Read more
European & International News
New website exposes impact of financial sector on human rights

Posted on 10 December 2012 |

[Brussels, 10 December 2012] A task force of human rights organisations and networks today launched a website devoted to highlighting the globally growing concern about the impact of financial regulation on human rights. The harm caused by the financial crisis to living conditions worldwide is well documented. Livelihoods, poverty, human rights, freedom of expression and mobility, identity and sexuality have come under pressure and been radically altered since the onset of the crisis. “Yet, (...) Read more
European & International News
License to rape? ENAR calls for urgent measures to end violence against ethnic minority and migrant female domestic workers in Europe

Posted on 9 December 2012 |

[Brussels, 07 December 2012] Ahead of the International Day for the elimination of violence against women on 25 November, the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) released a press statement calling for urgent measures to end violence faced by ethnic minority and migrant women in Europe.
Numerous female domestic workers of migrant origin in Europe face not only miserable wages and indecent working hours, but also physical and psychological abuse by their employers.
ENAR’s yearly Shadow (...) Read more
European & International News
Turkish LGBT activist wins 2013 David Kato Vision & Voice Award

Posted on 9 December 2012 |

[Brussels, 03 December 2012] The 2013 David Kato Vision & Voice Award has been awarded to Ali Erol: a leading lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) activist in Turkey. The award recognises those who strive to uphold sexual rights for LGBTI people and was announced at the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s 60th anniversary celebrations in Johannesbourg (South Africa).
Ali Erol founded Kaos GL organisation in 1994 at a time when homosexuality was taboo and (...) Read more
European & International News
MEPs visit Ireland in heat of abortion debate

Posted on 30 November 2012 |

[European Parliament, Brussels, 30 November 2012] A delegation from Women’s rights and gender equality committee visited Dublin, Ireland on 29-30 November in the context of Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The aim of the visit was to learn about gender equality policies in Ireland and exchange views about the Presidency programme in the field of gender equality.
The delegation visit coincided with the long-awaited publication of an experts’ report on the (...) Read more