European & International News

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

European & International News
Launch of new Europe-wide network on innovation for age-friendly environments

Posted on 5 March 2014 |

[Press release from AGE Platform Europe, Brussels, 4 March 2014] According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), physical and social environments are key determinants of whether people can remain healthy, independent and autonomous long into their old age. Creating age-friendly environments is therefore one of the most effective approaches to respond to demographic change. To support this approach, the AFE-INNOVNET thematic network on innovation for age-friendly environments (AFE) kicked (...) Read more
European & International News
Due Diligence Project: regional reports now available

Posted on 5 March 2014 |

[Brussels, 4 March 2014] The Due Diligence and State Responsibility to Eliminate Violence against Women report will be launched on Thursday 13 March 2014, during the CSW in New York. Six regional reports are already available on the website.
The Due Diligence Project is a research-advocacy project started three years ago so as to add content to the international principle of ‘Due Diligence’ of the States to end violence against women. Concretely, it aims at evaluating the positions of most (...) Read more
European & International News
Nearly 2,000 health professionals have signed a manifesto against the abortion bill in Spain

Posted on 4 March 2014 |

[Madrid, 28 February 2014. Federación de Planificación Familiar Estatal Press Release] A Manifesto against the abortion bill was launched in Madrid and signed by nearly 2,000 health professionals.
"What scares the government is the empowerment of women"
1970 specialists in gynecology, genetics, psychiatry, public health and other specialties related to sexual and reproductive health have signed a manifesto calling for the bill, proposed by the government to regulate abortion, is not (...) Read more
European & International News
177 Sex Trafficking Survivors Support Mary Honeyball’s Report

Submission in support of Mary Honeyball’s Report on sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality.

Posted on 1 March 2014 |

[25 February 2014] Sex Trafficking Survivors United (STSU) says: “It is not helpful to divide women in prostitution into those who “choose” and those who are “forced” into prostitution. In most cases, Aboriginal women are recruited for prostitution as girls and/or feel they have no other option due to poverty and abuse. It is the sex industry that encourages women to view prostitution as their chosen identity.”
We urge European Parliament to take a stand against the exploitation of the young, (...) Read more
European & International News
75 researchers from around the world express their support to the EP report on prostitution

Submission in support of Mary Honeyball’s Report on sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality

Posted on 28 February 2014 |

[24 February 2014] We write as a global network of researchers in support of Mary Honeyball’s motion for a resolution on sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality (2013/2103(INI).
We do this on the basis of deep and systematic expertise in researching the dynamics of prostitution and the sex industry, trafficking and violence against women. Our research draws on contemporary evidence, on historical and philosophical inquiry, and importantly on the (...) Read more
European & International News
Punish the client, not the prostitute

Posted on 28 February 2014 |

[Press release from the European Parliament, Strasbourg, 26 February 2014] EU countries should reduce the demand for prostitution by punishing the clients, not the prostitutes, says Parliament in a non-binding resolution passed on Wednesday. It stresses that prostitution violates human dignity and human rights, whether it is forced or voluntary, and calls on member states to find exit strategies and alternative sources of income for women who want to leave prostitution.
“Rather than blanket (...) Read more
European & International News
Next week EU Agency for Fundamental rights presents world’s largest survey on violence against women

Posted on 28 February 2014 |

[Brussels, 28 February 2014] On March 5, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) will present the findings from the world’s largest survey on violence against women at the high-level conference “Violence against women across the EU: Abuse at home, work, in public and online”. The event will take place at the Council of the European Union in Brussels.
The survey findings draw on face-to-face interviews with 42,000 women across the EU’s 28 Member States. Women were asked about (...) Read more
European & International News
Equal Pay Day: Gender Pay Gap stagnates at 16.4% across Europe

Posted on 28 February 2014 |

[Press release from the European Commission, Brussels, 28 February 2014] Women in Europe still work 59 days ‘for free’ – this is what the latest figures released today by the European Commission show. The gender pay gap – the average difference between women and men’s hourly earnings across the entire economy – has barely moved in recent years and still stands at around 16% (it stands at 16.4% as the year before). The latest figures mean European Equal Pay Day is marked on 28 February, for the (...) Read more
European & International News
MEPs call for penalties to tackle human rights flaws in the EU

Posted on 28 February 2014 |

[Press release from the European Parliament, Strasbourg, 27 February 2014] The European Commission must "immediately" set up a system to monitor member countries’ compliance with EU values and accession criteria, says a resolution passed by Parliament on Thursday. This monitoring system should include binding recommendations and penalties for breaches, such as freezing EU funds, MEPs add.
The resolution, approved by 312 votes to 244, with 27 abstentions, analyses the respect for fundamental (...) Read more
European & International News
Youth unemployment: putting words into action

Posted on 28 February 2014 |

[Press release of the European Parliament] Strasbourg, 27 February 2014] The EU launched a youth guarantee scheme to help the more than five million young Europeans who are out of work. On 26 February, MEPs questioned Commission and Council representatives on its implementation by EU countries, some of which suffer from extremely high levels of youth unemployment. Check out our interactive map to learn more about the latest youth unemployment rates in Europe.
Youth guarantee scheme: what (...) Read more