EWL News

News typewritter Latest news from the European Women’s Lobby in Brussels

EWL News
Finland: NYTKIS “Soup Sisters” event brings candidates and voters together in Helsinki to discuss gender equality

Posted on 9 April 2015 |

[Brussels, 10 April 2015] This past Wednesday, EWL member NYTKIS (Coalition of Finnish Women’s Associations) organised an event in Narinkkatori Square called “Soup Sisters” (Soppaa Siskoilta). Nearly 300 people came out to savor free vegetable soup and to listen to more than 20 candidates from different parties who came to speak about gender equality and their goals concerning it.
NYTKIS Coordinator, Milla Sandt told us: “The afternoon was very successful. The sun was shining, there were many (...) Read more
EWL News
Open letter of 98 NGOs to Angela Merkel on sexual exploitation and trafficking of women and girls

Posted on 8 April 2015 |

[Brussels, March 2015] The European Women’s Lobby (EWL), together with many of its member organisations, has cosigned a letter to Ms Angela Merkel, calling her to place women’s rights at the core of the German policies on prostitution and trafficking.
The letter has been published in German and in English in EMMA, in French in [Ressources Prostitution->https://ressourcesprostitution.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/prostitution-lettre-ouverte-de-98-ong-a-angela-merkel.
To the Right Honourable Dr. (...) Read more
EWL News
CSW59 Political Declaration: Women’s organisations in Europe and North America call on UN member states to Commit, Accelerate and Invest in women’s and girls’ human rights

Statement regarding CSW political declaration and methods of work

Posted on 19 March 2015 |

[Brussels and New York, 19 March 2015] When meeting in March 2015 in New York, in the framework of the 59th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59), UN member states were expected to reaffirm their commitment to realise women’s and girls’ human rights and to take step further to accelerate progress.
Twenty years after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action by the international community, the political declaration adopted on 9 March fails to address the (...) Read more
EWL News
Dynamic and impactful contribution of EWL at CSW59

59th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, dedicated to Beijing+20 (9-20 March 2015)

Posted on 16 March 2015 |

[New York, 15 March 2015] The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) was very active during the first week of the 59th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59). This yearly meeting of UN governments to discuss women’s rights was dedicated to the celebration of the 20 years of the Beijing Platform for Action. You will find here a summary of the activities of the EWL during this CSW59.
Women’s organisations disappointed by the UN governments’ weak commitment
On the first day of CSW59, (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL Beijing+20 in March - The equality house: a sustainable and strong European Union architecture for women’s rights and gender equality

Posted on 15 March 2015 |

[Brussels, 2 March 2015] Did you know that only five Member States have a separate designated body for the promotion of equal treatment of women and men? That in 2012, only two Member States used gender mainstreaming widely for drafting laws, policy programmes, actions plans and projects?
In March, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) focuses on Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women, as part of its Beijing+20 campaign. Read and share EWL’s factsheet about Institutional (...) Read more
EWL News
A major step towards gender equality in Europe

Posted on 15 March 2015 |

[Brussels, 11 March 2015] Civil society and human rights organisations welcome the adoption of the Report on Equality between women and men in the EU (2013) authored by MEP Marc Tarabella. Despite numerous falsehoods and emotional manipulation spread by anti-human-rights organisations about the Report, the European Parliament has clearly affirmed its will to combat gender-discrimination in Europe.
Adopted with a comfortable majority of 441 votes in favour and 205 votes against, this report (...) Read more
EWL News
[Press Release] International Women’s Day: SOS – Deliver NOW: SAVE the Maternity Leave Directive

Posted on 15 March 2015 |

[Brussels, 5 March 2015] Open letter to EU Ministers of Employment, Social Affairs and Gender Equality, all European decision-makers.
At the eve of International Women’s Day (8 March), the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) calls on you to save the Maternity Leave Directive, which has been on the table since 2010 and is threatened to be withdrawn by the European Commission, in the name of red tape. We call on you to act immediately to send a positive message to women all over Europe that you (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL-ILGA Open Letter to European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans

Call for promised EU LGBTI strategy & EU Strategy for Equality between Women and Men

Posted on 8 March 2015 |

[Brussels, 24 March 2015] This morning, the European Women’s Lobby and [ILGA-Europe, the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association->http://www.ilga-europe.org sent an Open Letter to European Commission Vice President Timmermans and European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality on the topic of the promised EU LGBTI strategy and the EU Strategy for Equality between Women and Men. Read the letter here.
Dear Vice President (...) Read more
EWL News
Time to act now to end prostitution and sexual exploitation! Women’s organisations celebrate the first anniversary of the Honeyball resolution

EWL press statement

Posted on 26 February 2015 |

[Brussels, 26 February 2015] One year ago, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted a historic resolution on ‘Prostitution and sexual exploitation and its impact on gender equality’, also called the ‘Honeyball resolution’ . Supported by a large cross-party majority, the resolution sent a strong signal that urgent action is required at European level to end this pervasive violation of women’s and girls’ human rights.
Several MEPs in this new term are calling on the European Commission (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL meets with the French Secretary of State for women’s rights

Posted on 26 February 2015 |

[Brussels, 27 February 2015] Sexual rights, violence, prostitution, women on boards, maternity leave…: many crucial issues were addressed during the meeting that took place on Thursday 26 February in EWL office. Ms Pascale Boistard, French Secretary of State for women’s rights, met with EWL President Viviane Teitelbaum, EWL Secretary General Joanna Maycock, and EWL Policy Officer Pierrette Pape.
Ms Boistard presented the priorities of the French government in terms of women’s rights: reduce (...) Read more