European & International News

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

European & International News
European Parliament calls for stiffer sanctions for gender pay gap

Posted on 29 May 2012 |

[European Parliament, Brussels, 24 May 2012] Parliament urged the European Commission to improve existing EU legislation to close the gender pay gap, including stricter sanctions on employers, in a vote on Thursday. The request for a legislative proposal points out that the gender pay gap still averages 16.4% in the EU, and in some member states has even widened.
"After almost forty years of obviously ineffective legislation, member states have only made small changes to their own (...) Read more
European & International News
Four in 10 young women in UK experience sexual harrassment in public spaces

Posted on 29 May 2012 |

[Brussels, 29 May 2012] New government research in the UK has found that four in 10 young women have been sexually harassed in public spaces. The YouGov survey commissioned by the End Violence Against Women Coalition (Evaw) found that 43% women aged 18-24 had experienced unwanted sexual attention in public spaces last year, 31% of them on public transport.
The poll canvassed 1,047 Londoners. Separately, the London Crown Prosecution Service reported a 53% rise in the number of reported (...) Read more
European & International News
MEPs back Resolution on LGBTI rights

Posted on 29 May 2012 |

[Brussels, 29 May 2012] Members of the European Parliament last Thursday adopted a resolution to condemn homophobic laws and discrimination in Europe. Support for the bill was strong, with 430 votes in favour and 105 against.
The Resolulution read that the European Parliament "strongly condemns any discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity" and MEPs called on the European Commission and Member States to "better protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and (...) Read more
European & International News
Cannes film festival snubs women directors

Posted on 22 May 2012 |

[Brussels, 22 May 2012] The EWL lobbies for equal voices in the media but unfortunately this is not what this year’s film festival in Cannes is promoting. On 27 May 27 the Palme d’Or will be awarded in Cannes and out of the 22 directors nominated for this prestigious prize there is not one single woman. The British film director and film festival jury member Andrea Arnold has dismissed this as sexist. She states that it is a “great disappointment, because obviously women are half of the (...) Read more
European & International News
Malta becomes 19th signatory to Council of Europe Convention on violence against women

Posted on 22 May 2012 |

[Brussels, 22 May 2012] Malta has become the 19th country to sign the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, the first international convention which creates a comprehensive legal framework and approach to combat violence against women.
The EWL ran a campaign to ensure the adoption of a strong Convention covering all forms of violence against women, and then to get the Convention ratified by all signatories.
The Convention is the first (...) Read more
European & International News
MEPs say Turkey has to ensure full respect of women’s rights if it wants to join the EU

European Parliament Women’s Rights Committee Press Release

Posted on 22 May 2012 |

[FEMM Committee, European Parliament, 22 May 2012] If Turkey wants to move forward with accession negotiations with the EU it is essential that it improves the situation of women in the country, argued MEPs in a resolution adopted on Tuesday. Last week, the European Commission launched the "positive agenda", aimed at promoting reforms in Turkey in such fields as fundamental rights.
"Turkey as a candidate country has to ensure gender equality, since there can be no accession without women", (...) Read more
European & International News
Arab Spring - Where are the women?

Posted on 21 May 2012 |

[EMHRN, Copenhagen, 15 May 2012] Arab women participated actively in the revolutions and movements for social change demanding democracy, social justice, freedom, dignity and equality. They worked hard to push for women’s rights to be guaranteed in the transitions and reform processes and for greater participation in political bodies. Regrettably political reforms since the uprising are excluding women’s rights in what is supposed to be an era of democratization. Several worrying setbacks (...) Read more
European & International News
Equal citizenship rights for women and men - help set the agenda!

Posted on 18 May 2012 |

[Brussels, 18 May 2012] Ahead of the European Year on Citizenship 2013, the European Commission has launched a public consultation: “EU citizens: your rights, your future” where all EU citizens get a chance to voice their opinions on the European Union and their rights as citizens. This public consultation will be open until 09 September 2012 and the views expressed during this time will help the European Union prepare a citizenship report for the Year 2013. The European Commission issued a (...) Read more
European & International News
COFACE calls for a European Year for Reconciling Work and Family Life in 2014

Posted on 15 May 2012 |

[COFACE, Brussels, 14 May 2012] On the occasion of the United Nation’s International Day of Families, which takes place each year on 15 May, COFACE, the Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union calls for a European Year for Reconciling Work and Family Life in 2014.
In 2012 the International Day focuses on "Ensuring work-family balance”. During the last decades several economic, social and demographic trends led to major obstacles in finding the right balance between work (...) Read more
European & International News
Homelessness and Housing Rights in the Context of the Crisis 11th European Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty

Posted on 11 May 2012 |

[EAPN, Brussels, 11 May 2012] On 10-11 May 2012 the 11th European Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty addressed the question of Homelessness and Housing Rights in the Context of the Crisis.
The meeting brought together over 150 people with personal experience of poverty and homelessness from 30 European countries. The Meeting was an occasion for an exchange of views and experiences on how to ensure that people experiencing poverty can have access to adequate, affordable and energy (...) Read more