Members News

Members News
NO means NO – Germany takes big legal step against Violence against women

Posted on 13 July 2016 |

[Berlin, 8 July 2016, Press Release by Deutscher Frauenrat] The German Bundestag has taken a historical step towards sexual self-determination. On July 7, 2016 the Parliament unanimously passed a reform of the penal code provisions on rape in line with the principle “No means no”. This means that every sexual act against somebody’s will is considered a crime. This is not only a victory for the women’s rights movement in Germany. The new bill also meets the requirements of the Council of Europe (...) Read more
Members News
Protest for women’s rights in Zagreb, Croatia

Posted on 27 May 2016 |

[Zagred, 25 May 2016, News from EWL members in Croatia] Faced with aggressive attacks on women’s reproductive rights, various feminist activists, initiatives and organisations from the cities across Croatia have joined forces to organise a protest „In defence of freedom of choice“, which was initiated by the Women’s Network of Croatia.
The protest was held today in Zagreb’s downtown, gathering around 500 protesters, as a reaction to the so called first national „March for life“ that was (...) Read more
Members News
You Commit, I Vote / #ICOMMIT2016

Posted on 27 May 2016 |

[Brussels, 27 May 2016, Press Release by the Cyprus Women’s Lobby] In the context of the parliamentary elections of 2016, the Cyprus Women’s Lobby (CWL) announced the results of the #ICOMMIT2016, ’Commitment to an Equal and Democratic society’ campaign on Monday 16 May 2016; a campaign that involved specific commitments related to gender equality.
Gender Equality is absent or is not high on the agenda of political parties, in the political and public debate in general and during the election (...) Read more
Members News
Threats to gender quotas in electoral legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Posted on 27 April 2016 |

[News from our members in the Balkans] In the Balkans, with the support of democratic oriented men and international actors it took progressive, active women twenty years of hard work to enact quota regulations for women in the legislative branch of power.
Now, new proposals of amendments to the electoral law, which will be accepted by an emergency procedure, without any public discussion, are threatening crucial achievements of the post war women’s movement in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
In (...) Read more
Members News
Cyprus passes historic legislation on gender equality

Posted on 20 April 2016 |

[Nicosia, 22 April 2016, Press release of the Cyrpus Women’s Lobby] The Cyprus Women’s Lobby welcomes the enactment into law, by the House of Representatives last Thursday, April 14 2016, of decisive importance for the promotion of gender equality.
The first bill passed into law foresees 30% minimum participation of either gender in all semi-governmental organizations’ boards. This highly political decision was backed by the Democratic Rally (DHSY), the Democratic Party (DHKO), the Movement (...) Read more
Members News
Turkey: Call to sign for peace

Posted on 3 February 2016 |

[Ankara, 2 February 2016, from our members in Turkey] As you may or may not know, the resolution process that was started in 2012 for a political solution to the Kurdish issue in Turkey has come to a halt. For the past six months, we have turned back to war – with an ever-increasing level of violence. As of the 16th of January, 2015, 20 districts of seven different provinces have suffered a total of 56 curfews altogether, remaining under curfew for a total of 304 days. Currently the sieges (...) Read more
Members News
The Netherlands: meeting with UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

Posted on 3 February 2016 |

[Amsterdam, January 2016] In a packed room in The Hague, EWL Dutch members from the Nederlandse Vrouwenraad took part in a meeting organised by the campaign "Gelijk = Anders", in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led by presenter and columnist Zarayda Groenhart. UN Women Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was also present at the event.
The main topic was Global Goal 5 ’Equal rights for men and women and the empowerment of women and girls’. Discussions elaborated on economic (...) Read more
Members News
Portugal: empowering women & girls through the SDGs

Posted on 3 February 2016 |

[Lisbon, 26 January 2016] The Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights was one of the organizations promoting the seminar "Sustainable Development Goals: Public Consultation with Civil Society and Alliance for the SDG" on 20 January in Lisbon. This seminar aimed at presenting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the public consultation on its implementation in Portugal.
The Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights was in charge of presenting SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower (...) Read more
Members News
Sweden: shadow report to CEDAW calls for action for women’s rights

Posted on 28 January 2016 |

[Swedish Women’s Lobby article, 28 January 2016] The Swedish Women’s Lobby and the Swedish CEDAW network has examined how Sweden lives up to its commitments under the CEDAW Convention. Our shadow report contains 61 demands for measures to achieve gender equality.
By ratifying CEDAW, the Swedish Government have committed to achieve women’s rights in all areas. Every four years, the Government write a report on what they have done to implement the Convention in Sweden to the UN CEDAW Committee. (...) Read more
Members News
Bulgaria: national campaign "Open your eyes! Break the silence"

Posted on 27 January 2016 |

[by Iliana Balabanova-Stoicheva, Bulgarian Women’s Lobby, January 2016] Mariya Gabriel, Member of the European Parliament in partnership with European Women’s Lobby and Bulgarian NGOs, initiated a National Campaign against Violence Against Women ’Open your eyes! Break the silence’ in Bulgaria.
The Istanbul Convention is the golden standard in the area of protection and prevention of Domestic Violence and Violence against Women: this is the main message from the Conference organized on 20th of (...) Read more