European & International News

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

European & International News
At CSW61, women’s organisations want the abolition of the system of prostitution to achieve women’s economic liberation

Posted on 5 April 2017 |

[New York, 21 March 2017] The 61st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women took place in New York in March, under the theme of “Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work”, and with “the empowerment of Indigenous women” as emerging theme. Many events addressed the issue of prostitution and sexual exploitation, and promoted the Nordic Model as the best policy solution to achieve gender equality, end violence against women, deter trafficking and contribute to women’s (...) Read more
European & International News
"Présenter la prostitution comme un travail, c’est légaliser l’exploitation sexuelle" - paroles de syndicats au Congrès international contre l’exploitation sexuelle des femmes et des filles (New Delhi, janvier 2017)

Posted on 24 March 2017 |

[Delhi, 31 janvier 2017] Lors du 2e Congrès international contre l’exploitation sexuelle des femmes et des filles le rapport du Congrès. Vous pouvez regarder les vidéos des interventions ici, ainsi qu’un clip résumant tout le Congrès ci-dessous, réalisé par CAP International.
Sabine Reynosa représentait le comité femmes de la Confédération générale des travailleurs (CGT, France). Voici son intervention :
"En France, la plupart des organisations syndicales établissent des barrières entre ce qui se passe (...) Read more
European & International News
"Prostitution is always exploitation" - statement of Sweden at the UN Security Council, 15 March 2017

Posted on 18 March 2017 |

[New York, 15 March 2017] The United Nations Security Council meeting of 15 March was dedicated to the issue of trafficking in human beings. Sweden, represented by Asa Regner, Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality, issued a strong statement: ÅSA REGNÉR, Minister for Children, the Elderly and Gender Equality of Sweden, associated herself with the European Union, saying her county was committed to eradicating human trafficking, an abuse that flourished due to conflict and (...) Read more
European & International News
European Investment Bank moves to support women’s rights: Towards a structural shift?

80 billion € public investment should now serve gender equality

Posted on 3 February 2017 |

[Brussels, 3 February 2017. European Women’s Lobby and Action Aid shared blog]
This week, the European Investment Bank (EIB) held its annual meeting with civil society in Luxembourg. It was the occasion for groups working on a wide range of issues to dialogue with Bank’s officials and the Board, calling for an end to support fossil fuels, effective consultation of local communities impacted by land-based investments, or to suggest further steps forward to advance women’s rights. The EIB (...) Read more
European & International News
EU leaders need to take immediate action to save lives in Greece this winter

Joint NGO statement to European heads of state and government

Posted on 14 December 2016 |

[Brussels 14 December 2016] Thousands of people are at risk this winter as the EU-Turkey deal keeps migrants, including refugees, stuck in dangerous and degrading conditions in Greece, a coalition of more than 30 humanitarian agencies and human rights organisations, among which the European Women’s Lobby, warn. The organisations most of which work with migrants in Greece, warn that women, children and men could die because of worsening winter conditions. EU leaders meeting in Brussels on (...) Read more
European & International News
Kat Banyard’s book "Pimp State" discussed in Brussels

Posted on 8 December 2016 |

[Brussels, 9 December 2016] The founder of UK Feminista, a feminist activist and writer, Kat Banyard was in Brussels on 7 and 8 December, and participated in two EWL activities. She was a guest at [EWL FEMtalk->https://www.facebook.com/events/335624963483234, together with other feminist artists, and discussed the role of literature in her activism. She also presented her newly published book ’Pimp State’ at the European Parliament, during a breakfast meeting hosted by Malin Björk MEP.
"In (...) Read more
European & International News
Children cannot wait: 7 priority actions to protect all refugee and migrant children

Posted on 29 November 2016 |

[Brussels, 29 November 2016] Today, 78 organisations active in the field of children’s rights, deliver a joint statement calling for action to protect and guarantee refugee and migrant children’s rights. You can read the statement here.
#Act4children #ChildRightsForum #UN4RefugeesMigrants #RefugeesWelcome #ChildrenCannotWait
The signatories, including the EWL, the European Network of Migrant Women, and other women’s groups, strongly welcome that this year’s European Forum on the Rights of the (...) Read more
European & International News
Politics, the feminist way

Posted on 28 November 2016 |

EWL’s Matilda Flemming attended the [UK Women’s Equality Party->http://www.womensequality.org.uk’s first ever party conference. 1500 feminists gathered in Manchester the last weekend in November to, as party leader Sophie Walker put it, finally become a fully adult party. The party was started in spring 2015 by Sandi Toksvig and Catherine Mayer and is the fastest growing political force in the UK - already having gained 65.000 members (UKIP in comparison has 55.000 members). So far the party (...) Read more
European & International News
Trump’s Win Has The Global Women’s Rights Movement Very, Very Worried

Posted on 23 November 2016 |

[Article from Buzzfeed, 9 November 2016] The European Women’s Lobby was interviewed for this article in Buzzfeed, after the US elections result two weeks ago. EWL colleague and British-American Emily Usher Shrair also intervened in an interview on Catalan television later that week, which you can watch here.
NAIROBI — You’ll forgive the global women’s rights movement while it catches its breath.“I’m shellshocked. I have no words. I don’t even know what to say,” said Lina Abirafeh, director of the (...) Read more
European & International News
18 October 2016 - European day against trafficking in human beings

Posted on 18 October 2016 |

[Brussels, 18 October 2016, MEPs Statment on Anti-Trafficking Day] This day must be a day when we step up our efforts to combat the most dominant form of trafficking, namely trafficking in women, girls and boys for sexual exploitation. In order to do this effectively, we need to go beyond words and address the root causes that fuel trafficking for sexual exploitation, i.e. the demand for paid sex and the growing prostitution markets in Europe.
Trafficking for sexual exploitation is a (...) Read more