EWL News

News typewritter Latest news from the European Women’s Lobby in Brussels

EWL News
EP seminar sees MEPs committed to end violence against women, but no concrete answer from the Commission and EU Presidencies. NGOs continue to mobilise for an EU Year and action.

Posted on 24 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 24 November 2011] Three political groups within the European Parliament (GUE/NGL, Greens and S&D) came together on Wednesday 23 November in order to organise the public seminar ‘Ending violence against women. The EU must act now’. MEP Mikael Gustafsson, Chair of the EP Committee on Women’s rights and gender equality opened the seminar by emphasising the demands for EU action that were established in the report adopted on April 5 2011 (Svensson 2011/0127) including: An (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL highlights progress and gaps on violence against women at Europe at launch of ‘Progress of the World’s Women in Pursuit of Justice’

Posted on 24 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 24 November 2011] On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination on Violence against Women, UN Women launched in Brussels its new publication ‘Progress of the World’s Women in Pursuit of Justice’ with a panel discussion to officially share the findings and recommendations of the report with the European Union institutions, EU Member States, civil society and key partners based in Brussels.
The panel gathered Ms Lakshmi Puri, Deputy-Director of UN Women, representatives of (...) Read more
EWL News
Romania - EWL members organise picket protest demanding action to end violence against women

Posted on 23 November 2011 |

[Bucharest, 23 November 2011] 23 Romanian NGO’s are organising a picket protest on Friday, November 25th , between 16.00-18.00 PM in front of the Romanian Parliament - the Chamber of Deputies, demanding improvement and proper application of the law on prevention and combating domestic violence.
NGO’s and individuals who have joined the protest criticise the lack of interest of members of Parliament and representatives of state institutions towards domestic violence. Our main demands are the (...) Read more
EWL News
The lack of EU action on gender-violence is compounding the effect of the crisis on women, says European Women’s Lobby ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Press Release

Posted on 23 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 23 November 2011] Almost every other woman in the EU will experience male violence during her lifetime: One in five will fall victim to domestic violence; one in ten will be raped or forced into sexual acts. Violence against women – although rarely discussed or addressed – is the most widespread human rights abuse within the EU, and in times of recession such as these, things only get worse. On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL meets with European Asylum Support Offices and calls for strong gender perspective in the work of the new organisation

Posted on 22 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 22 November 2011] On 17 November Selmin Caliskan, coordinator of EWLs project on Migrant Women, travelled to Malta along with a representative from Amnesty International’s END FGM European Campaign and the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe). Over two days this Expert NGO Coalition took part in a series of meetings with the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), and the United Nations High Commission for (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL exhibition in European Parliament

Posted on 21 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 21 November 2011] From Monday 28 November until Friday 02 December, the EWL Exhibition ’My World: Visions of Feminism in the 21st Century’, bringing together the prize-winning works of young photographers from across Europe in a study of the meaning of feminism today, will be exhibited in the European Parliament in Brussels. An opening reception will be hosted by Mikael Gustafsson (MEP), Chair of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee, on Tuesday 29 November at 18:30. To (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL launches new publication: ‘Her Future... What’s it worth to you?’

Posted on 18 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 18 November 2011] The EWL is delighted to announce the launch of its latest publication: ‘Her Future... What’s it worth to you?’. This report highlights the range of activities undertaken by the EWL and its members at local, regional, national, European and international levels over 2010-2011 and appeals for support for the cause of women’s rights and gender equality in Europe. Please consider what these values are worth to you and support the work of the EWL by becoming a Friend of (...) Read more
EWL News
EU activities on gender equality require specific, predictable funding, says the EWL

EWL reacts to the proposed EU funding programmes in the field of Justice

Posted on 18 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 18 November 2011] Reacting to the recent proposal of the European Commission, the EWL calls for specific, predictable EU funding for promoting equality between women and men and combating violence against women after 2014.
The European Commission on 15 November proposed that, from 2014 to 2020, EU activities to promote equality between women and men and fight violence against women will be financed through a programme called ‘Rights and Citizenship’, one of the two new funding (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL writes to President Barroso ahead of the adoption of Annual Growth Survey 2012

Posted on 18 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 18 November 2011] The EWL urges the President of the European Commission to ensure that a gender equality perspective is firmly integrated into the Annual Growth Survey 2012, the key document that will guide the implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy in the months to come.
The Annual Growth Survey 2012, to be adopted by the European Commission on 23 November, will assess the progress of the EU and its Member States toward the targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy. The content (...) Read more
EWL News
What role for local and regional authorities in promoting gender equality?

Posted on 18 November 2011 |

[Brussels, 17 November 2011] At the 5th European Equality Summit, the EWL emphasised the pivotal role that regional and local authorities play in achieving a gender equal society.
In her presentation, Elizabeth Law, member of the EWL Executive Committee, pointed out that the decision-making levels closest to people are municipalities and regions. It is here where the decisions about the most concrete aspects of daily life, such as housing, security, public transport, the world of work, or (...) Read more