European & International News

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

European & International News
Politics, the feminist way

Posted on 28 November 2016 |

EWL’s Matilda Flemming attended the UK Women’s Equality Party’s first ever party conference. 1500 feminists gathered in Manchester the last weekend in November to, as party leader Sophie Walker put it, finally become a fully adult party. The party was started in spring 2015 by Sandi Toksvig and Catherine Mayer and is the fastest growing political force in the UK - already having gained 65.000 members (UKIP in comparison has 55.000 members). So far the party has earned more than 350.000 votes (...) Read more
European & International News
Trump’s Win Has The Global Women’s Rights Movement Very, Very Worried

Posted on 23 November 2016 |

[Article from Buzzfeed, 9 November 2016] The European Women’s Lobby was interviewed for this article in Buzzfeed, after the US elections result two weeks ago. EWL colleague and British-American Emily Usher Shrair also intervened in an interview on Catalan television later that week, which you can watch here.
NAIROBI — You’ll forgive the global women’s rights movement while it catches its breath.“I’m shellshocked. I have no words. I don’t even know what to say,” said Lina Abirafeh, director of the (...) Read more
European & International News
18 October 2016 - European day against trafficking in human beings

Posted on 18 October 2016 |

[Brussels, 18 October 2016, MEPs Statment on Anti-Trafficking Day] This day must be a day when we step up our efforts to combat the most dominant form of trafficking, namely trafficking in women, girls and boys for sexual exploitation. In order to do this effectively, we need to go beyond words and address the root causes that fuel trafficking for sexual exploitation, i.e. the demand for paid sex and the growing prostitution markets in Europe.
Trafficking for sexual exploitation is a (...) Read more
European & International News
Ending violence against women in the EU: The Istanbul Convention and beyond

Event by Gender5+ on 16 November 2016 #Brussels

Posted on 12 October 2016 |

[Brussels 12 October 2016] Gender5Plus, the first European Feminist Think Tank, would like to invite you to join us for a presentation and discussion on the Istanbul Convention and beyond.
Although there is tangible progress on gender equality in the European Union, fundamental inequalities between women and men are blocking the way towards improving the living and working conditions of all people living in Europe. One of the greatest scourges is violence against women, which remains (...) Read more
European & International News
Work-life balance: action to improve needed at EU and national levels, say MEPs

Posted on 15 September 2016 |

[Press release of the Europen Parliament, 13 September 2016] MEPs adopted in plenary on Tuesday a non-binding resolution calling for the need to modernise work-life balance framework, legislative and non-legislative measures, at EU and national level. MEPs recommend to improve different types of leave, to provide adequate income replacement and social protection during any type of family or care related leave.
The resolution was adopted by 443 votes in favour, 123 against and 100 (...) Read more
European & International News
A new Europe for people, planet and prosperity for all

Posted on 13 September 2016 |

[Brussels, 13 September 2016] The European Women’s Lobby joins this common statement on the future of Europe drafted on the initiative of WWF, CONCORD Europe, ETUC and European Youth Forum and supported by 177 European and national Civil Society Organisations and Trade Unions.
The first summit on European Union’s future is scheduled for 16 September in Bratislava. Leaders will have a political reflection to give impetus to further reforms and to the development of the EU with 27 member (...) Read more
European & International News
Vote yes to strengthen Work-Life balance opportunities for Europe’s families

Posted on 12 September 2016 |

[Brussels 12 September 2016] Tomorrow, on 13th September 2016, the European Parliament will be called on to vote the report 2016/2017(INI)“Creating labour market conditions favourable for family-work balance”. We are 11 networks of NGOs and Local Authorities and since 2012 we have been working together to raise awareness about the daily challenges faced by women and men across the EU in reconciling their work, family and private life. We represent millions of children, adults and families (...) Read more
European & International News
EWL welcomes the Commissioner for Human Rights statement "Protect women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights"

Posted on 25 July 2016 |

[Brussels, 23 June 2016] The European Women’s Lobby welcomes the statement made by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, who calls all member states to take the necessary steps to ensure women full and equal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The Commissioner for Human rights highlights in his recommendations the pivotal role of accessing to sexuality education and asks the member states to ensure that mandatory sexuality education that is (...) Read more
European & International News
26 Member States have signed the Istanbul Convention! Will Latvia and Czech Republic be next soon?

Posted on 27 April 2016 |

[Brussels, 21 April 2016] Bulgaria became the 26th EU Member State that have signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, the Istanbul Convention. We congratulate our members, the Bulgarian Coordination to the EWL, and the women’s rights movement for this efforts towards this achievement and we wish that the ratification process goes timely to ensure a good implementation of the convention and adequate protection of women (...) Read more
European & International News
New Study: Progress and Challenges for Women on Company Boards

Posted on 27 April 2016 |

[Brussels, 27 April 2016, Press Release by EWoB] European Women on Boards (EWoB) has today published a major new report which examines the progress that women are making on the Boards of the 600 largest European-listed companies.
This comprehensive new study, undertaken in association with ISS, examines how gender diversity in European boardrooms has evolved over the last five years. Across Europe as a whole, it finds evidence of improvement in some areas, and challenges in others. (...) Read more