European & International News

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

European & International News
Hungary signed the Istanbul Convention

Posted on 14 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 14 March 2014] Today, Hungary became the 25th member state of the Council of Europe to sign the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).
The EWL congratulates the Hungarian Women’s Lobby for their great work lobbying for the signature of the Istanbul Convention!
As part of the joint project between the EL and the Council of Europe "Act against rape! Use the Istanbul Convention!", the Hungarian Women’s Lobby (...) Read more
European & International News
Turkey - Women Marching in Istanbul

Posted on 13 March 2014 |

[Statement by Istanbul Feminist Collective, 4 March 2014, Istanbul] We are, as the women who live in Turkey, raising our voices on the streets for eleven years, calling out against patriarchy, against men’s violence, sexism, heterosexism, capitalism, militarism, and war, at the night marches of 8th of March.
Since the last 8th of March, it has been a year of increasing violence against women.
Every day, we reading about another femicide in the news. Every day three women are killed in (...) Read more
European & International News
The European Parliament rejected resolution on gender equality

Posted on 11 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 11 March 2014. European Parliament Press Release] Resolution on gender equality which stresses a number of problems caused by gender inequality showing how austerity measures and economic crisis have detrimental effects on gender equality and women’s rights has been rejected by a slim majority of MEPs on Tuesday.
“This vote has a very important political significance because the EP rejected a general report on the progress of equality between women and men in EU – 2012 just because (...) Read more
European & International News
We Can Stop It: Scotland Police is launching a campaign on preventing sexual violence against women

Posted on 10 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 14 February 2014] The Scottish Police launched the “We Can Stop It” Campaign, aiming at actively preventing sexual violence against women. It will last the whole month of March and mainly targets men and tries to raise awareness on what is actually rape.
Since 2010 in Scotland, the sexual offences laws explicitly recognize that sex without consent is a rape (even when the consent was given and withdrawn), and that both gender can be victims of rape.
The Police of Scotland, (...) Read more
European & International News
Milestone ruling against Italy on abortion and conscientious objection welcomed by IPPF EN

Major victory in Europe on International Women’s day

Posted on 10 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 08 March 2014, IPPF EN Press Release] The milestone decision on conscientious objection and abortion delivered by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Social Rights is welcomed by the International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN). IPPF EN lodged a collective complaint against Italy which stated that the weak regulation of health personnel’s conscientious objection violates the right to health protection. IPPF EN is pleased to announce that the claim has (...) Read more
European & International News
“Es fácil cerrar los ojos ante la violencia machista”

Entrevista de El País a Pierrette Pape, Coordinadora del Lobby Europeo de Mujeres

Posted on 7 March 2014 |

[Bruselas, 5 de Marzo de 2014] Con motivo de la publicación de los resultados de la Encuesta sobre violencia de género en la Unión Europea realizada por la Agencia de Derechos Fundamentales, Pierrette Pape, Coordinadora del Lobby Europeo de Mujeres, ha concedido una entrevista a El País.
En dicha entrevista, Pierrette Pape destaca que sin legislación a nivel Europeo y sin unas políticas comunes, no se les garantizan los mismos derechos en toda Europa a las mujeres. Asimismo insiste que la UE (...) Read more
European & International News
Femicide is the killing of women based on gender

Civil society organisations urge the EU and CELAC to demonstrate political will to end femicides

Posted on 7 March 2014 |

[Press Release of the Heinrik-Böll Foundation Brussels, 6 March 2014] For the International Women’s Day, the Greens / EFA Group in the European Parliament with the support of civil society, ALOP, CIFCA, OIDHACO and GRUPO SUR and together with the HEINRICH-BÖLL-STIFTUNG European Union, organised a day dedicated to finding solutions to end femicide in Europe and in Latin America at the European Parliament in Brussels. It is the seventh conference of this kind, which has been organised jointly (...) Read more
European & International News
Malta will be the fourth EU country to ratify the Istanbul Convention on violence against women

Congratulations to the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations (MCWO) for their work to achieve this!

Posted on 7 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 5 March 2014] The Maltese Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, Ms Helena Dalli, announced that Malta will be the fourth EU country to ratify the Istanbul Convention on violence against women. The announcement was made during the presentation of the EU wide Survey on violence against women, carried out by the Fundamental Rights Agency.
The European Women’s Lobby congratulates the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations (MCWO), member of the EWL, (...) Read more
European & International News
The EU needs to step up and rescue the social pillar of Europe 2020

Posted on 7 March 2014 |

[Press release of the Social Platform, Brussels 6 March, 2014] Yesterday the Commission published its Communication “Taking stock of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”, which acknowledged how far the EU is from reaching the poverty target with the number of people at risk of poverty remaining close to 100 million by 2020. Social Platform is calling on the Heads of State to recognise this at their meeting of March 20 as a call to renewed action and not an (...) Read more
European & International News
Equality Now released the 10th story of its Survivor Stories

Posted on 5 March 2014 |

[Equality Now, 3 March 2014] Equality Now today released the tenth in our Survivor Stories series, which illustrates the importance of survivor leadership to effectively combat sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
Lilly & Michelle – New Zealand
Lilly, who suffered a turbulent and abusive childhood, was introduced “to the streets” at age 18—the year prostitution was legalized in New Zealand. She thought life in the sex industry would give her independence, but instead came (...) Read more