European & International News

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

European & International News
2014 European Parliament elections: your vote counts more than you think!

Posted on 2 April 2014 |

[Press release from COFACE-EU, Berlin, 28 March 2014] COFACE and COFACE’s German member organisation AGF organised the European elections’ debate "2014: Citizen action for better family policies" on 28th March in Berlin.
Nearly 400 million adults in Europe will be entitled to vote between 22 and 25 May to elect the 751 MEPs in the new European Parliament. The European Parliament has power in a number of areas that affect everyday lives of the families living in Europe. We think it is (...) Read more
European & International News
Analytical Study on the protection of women against violence in Council of Europe member states

Posted on 2 April 2014 |

[Brussels, 2 April 2014] On 19 March 2014, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe held a Thematic Debate on “Violence against Women, the Council of Europe response”, with the participation of all the Permanent Representations of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe, the European Union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the Domestic Abuse Intervention Center in Vienna. In his intervention, the Secretary General, (...) Read more
European & International News
European Year of Citizens’ Alliance (EYCA) publishes Open letter to the President of the European Commission

Posted on 2 April 2014 |

[Brussels, March 2014] Re: Debate on the future of Europe
Dear President,
On 27th March you organise an event in Brussels in the frame of the European Year of Citizens gathering three citizens from each Member State to dialogue in “live” with members of the European Commission, as a prolongation of the “citizens’ dialogues” which got together about 20 000 people to talk with European Commissioners since the end of 2012.
As civil society organisations from 62 European networks grouping more (...) Read more
European & International News
The Women’s Refugee Commission released her review "Unpacking Gender - The Humanitarian Response to the Syria Refugee Crisis in Jordan"

Posted on 2 April 2014 |

[New York, March 2014] With no political solution on the horizon to end the war in Syria, it is clear that humanitarian agencies must continue to prepare for a protracted conflict.
In late 2013, the Women’s Refugee Commission undertook an extensive literature review and a month-long field assessment in Jordan. The goal of the project was to identify how the humanitarian community was integrating existing gender guidance across all sectors and whether gender was being dealt with centrally as (...) Read more
European & International News
Yes we can (make a difference)

Three Points We Should Take Away from President Obama’s Speech in Brussels

Posted on 31 March 2014 |

[Article by Leaderise, Brussels, 26 March 2014] For many of us involved in the [Leadarise ->http://www.leadarise.com movement, President Obama’s speech in Brussels on Wednesday may have come as an afterthought, as we were all so thrilled to see Leadarise’s co-founder Laura Hemmati introduce the President himself. However, President Obama’s speech contained a strong message for today’s youth; one that the members of Leadarise will remember well.
Over the past few years we have seen a rise in a (...) Read more
European & International News
Brazilian Women Bare All To Remind Nation They Don’t ’Deserve To Be Raped’ (NSFW)

Posted on 31 March 2014 |

[Article in the Huffington Post, Brazil, 29 March 2014] Earlier this week, a study was released that said a startling 65.1 percent of Brazilians either partially or wholly believe that "if dressed provocatively, women deserve to be attacked and raped." In addition, the study revealed a 58.5 percent complacency with the belief that "if women knew how to behave, there would be less rape."
The study, conducted by Brazil’s Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) to confront the outrage. (...) Read more
European & International News
President of Chile Bachelet sends bill to create new Women and Gender Equality Ministry

Posted on 31 March 2014 |

[Chile, 27 March 2014] President Michelle Bachelet expressed pride in realizing a “lifelong cause” Thursday when she sent a bill to establish a ministry that would champion the country’s women and contribute to diminishing the gender inequality that runs deep and wide across Chilean society.
Leading female figures from the public and private sector were in attendance at La Moneda as the president officially signed a proposal to create the Women and Gender Equality Ministry. The bill has all (...) Read more
European & International News
The EWL welcomes the outcomes of the MEP Awards

Posted on 28 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 24 March 2014] On 18 March, the 10th edition of the MEP Awards took place, awarding MEPs for their work over the last legislature. The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) would like to congratulate all Members of the European Parliament, who have been awarded for their valuable work.
Especially, the EWL would like to congratulate Ms Lunacek (Austria, Greens), for her award “outstanding Contribution”, and especially her unconditional support to parity democracy and LGBTI rights. The EWL (...) Read more
European & International News
"Women’s futures under threat", opinion piece on the One of Us Initiative

By Sophie in ’t Veld and Petra Bayr, in Devex

Posted on 28 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 27 March 2013] Sophie in ’t Veld (MEP, ALDE, Netherlads) and Petra Bayr (MP, Austria) have published today an opinion piece in Devex alerting about the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) "One of Us", which is trying to promote an ultraconservative ideology and advance the anti-choice agenda threatening women’s rights and gender equality.
In their article, Ms. in’t Veldt and Ms. Bayr highlight that this Initiative, which is threatening all the EU development aid Funds designated to (...) Read more
European & International News
UN document promotes equality for women

Article published in The Washington Post, on 22 March 2014

Posted on 28 March 2014 |

UNITED NATIONS — After two weeks of heated debate, liberal and conservative countries early Saturday approved a U.N. document to promote equality for women that reaffirms the sexual and reproductive rights of all women and endorses sex education for adolescents.
The 24-page final declaration approved by consensus early Saturday by the 45-member Commission on the Status of Women expresses deep concern that overall progress toward the U.N. goal of gender equality and empowerment of women (...) Read more