European & International News

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European & International News
Women in Power and Decision-making

Article by UN Women

Posted on 4 July 2014 |

[New York, 1 July, 2014] As part of UN Women’s Beijing+20 campaign, this month the focus is on Women in Power and Decision-making, one of the 12 critical areas of concern of the Beijing Platform for Action. UN Women spotlight women leaders and decision-makers who are ushering change for their societies.
Women are often dynamic leaders of change, galvanizing women and men to get involved, claim their rights, strengthen their communities and protect their planet. Their participation is (...) Read more
European & International News
Women and Guns: 2014 Small Arms Survey launched

Posted on 1 July 2014 |

[New York, 25 June 2014] The graduate institute Geneva launched the 2014 edition of its flagship publication "The Small Arms Survey 2014: Women and Guns", which considers the multiple roles of women in the context of armed violence, security, and the small arms agenda. The Small Arms Survey is produced annually by a team of researchers based in Geneva, Switzerland, and a worldwide network of local researchers. Policy-makers, diplomats, and non-governmental organizations have come to value (...) Read more
European & International News
Help end child trafficking through better guardianship

Posted on 1 July 2014 |

[Press release of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, 30 June 2014] All across the EU, children without parental care risk falling victims of abuse or trafficking. Today, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) releases a handbook to strengthen national guardianship systems for children in Europe, as part of the EU’s anti-trafficking strategy which recognises the vital role guardians play in protecting children from harm.
Download the handbook: Guardianship for children deprived of (...) Read more
European & International News
Denmark becomes Europe’s leading country on legal gender recognition

Posted on 20 June 2014 |

[Press release of EP Intergroup on LGBT rights, Brussels, 12 June 2014] Yesterday, the Danish Parliament voted a new regulation which will make it easier for transgender persons to see their preferred gender officially recognised.
By adopting this law, Denmark has become the first European country to delete the ‘Gender Identity Disorder’ diagnosis as a necessary requirement in the gender recognition process.
Other advances include the repeal of preconditions as compulsory sterilisation or (...) Read more
European & International News
Global commitment to end sexual violence in conflict

Posted on 18 June 2014 |

[Brussels, 18 June 2014] From 10 to 13 June, London hosted the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. The UK Foreign Secretary and Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, co-chaired the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict with a strong message: Sexual violence in conflict destroys lives and damages communities.
This was the largest gathering ever brought together on the subject, with 1,700 delegates and 129 country delegations (...) Read more
European & International News
Canada: New Prostitution Law begins to recognize the Harm in Prostitution

Posted on 16 June 2014 |

[Press release of the Women’s Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution, Ottawa, Ont., 4 June 2014] The Women’s Coalition for the Abolition of prostitution, A pan Canadian women’s-equality seeking coalition, is hopeful seeing the new law addresses the core harm of prostitution – the buying, the commodification and the pimping of women’s bodies. However, the coalition is critical that the law doesn’t fully address the compounding inequalities of gender, race and class of women in prostitution (...) Read more
European & International News
25 best policies nominated for Future Policy Award 2014

Posted on 16 June 2014 |

[Brussels, 19 June 2014] As we announced previously, the World Future Council has made its first selection for the “Future Policy Award 2014”, celebrating Innovative Policy Solutions for Ending Violence Against Women and Girls.
NGOs, international organisations and experts around the world were invited to nominate best policies on ending violence against women and girls. Among the 25 nominations for policies and laws at international, regional, national and local levels, several are coming (...) Read more
European & International News
Left parties win gender parity contest in new EU Parliament

Posted on 6 June 2014 |

[Article by euractiv.com 5 June 2014] “With only a 1.25% increase in the number of women MEPs in the new European Parliament compared to the previous legislature, women’s associations warn that it will take “half a century to reach gender parity at this pace”.” The article highlights the varying representation of women between the different political groups and the role of quotas during these elections.
EWL Policy Officer and Fundraising Coordinator Serap Alitinisk provides her analysis on the (...) Read more
European & International News
The G7 commits to gender equality

Posted on 6 June 2014 |

[Brussels, 6 June 2014] Yesterday, the G7 - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission - met in Brussels to discuss global issues, and delivered a declaration in which they state their positions on several international issues. The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is pleased to see the commitment of the G7 to human rights, and in particular to gender equality:
"We recognise the (...) Read more
European & International News
International Day of Action for Women’s Health #May28 #WomensHealth

Posted on 6 June 2014 |

Join women’s rights activists around the world in the re-launch of May 28th International Day of Action for Women’s Health, by calling on governments and the international community to ensure a holistic, inclusive, and human rights-based approach to women and girls’ health in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Sign the Call for Action.
* While we use the term ’woman/women’ we do so with a critical reflexivity that recognizes the nuances and right to people’s unique sexual and gender identities (...) Read more