European & International News

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

European & International News
France - Maternity leave to count towards pension allocations

Posted on 22 April 2011 |

[Brussels, 18 April 2011] In France, maternity leave is at last to be included in calculations for pension allocations, according to new legislation published yesterday.
According to the French daily Le Monde, private sector pensions at present differ massively by gender, with women receiving an average of 825 Euros and men 1426 Euros per month.
Henceforth, the daily stipend a mother receives while on maternity leave is to be counted as part of her salary and thus pension contributions. (...) Read more
European & International News
Hungary - New Constitution poses grave threat to women’s sexual and reproductive rights

Posted on 19 April 2011 |

[Brussels, 19 April 2011] Yesterday, 18 April 2011, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a new Constitution. The new text — and the process under which it has been developed and accepted — has been widely criticised as grossly curtailing human rights and democratic values.
Especially of concern to women’s rights NGOs is that the new Constitution poses a grave threat to women’s sexual and reproductive rights, as it includes a sentence on the protection of the fetus from conception (“Everyone has (...) Read more
European & International News
The Effects Of The Global Economic Crisis And Structural Adjustment On Women And Gender Relations In Greece: First Wave

Association for Women’s Rights in Development

Posted on 15 April 2011 |

[AWID, 15 April 2011] Growing unemployment, dwindling pensions, increasing taxes, domestic violence and a possible reinforcing of “traditional values” were just a few of the challenges facing women during Greece’s first wave of economic crisis and structural adjustment.
By Lois Woestman and Kathambi Kinoti
In 2009, AWID commissioned research into the impact of the global financial crisis on women’s rights. One of the countries covered in the research was Greece, the first EU country to face (...) Read more
European & International News
Cohesion Policy: gender mainstreaming will make Europe more competetive say MEPs

Posted on 15 April 2011 |

[European Parliament, Brussels, 15 April 2011] Gender mainstreaming to be implemented in EU cohesion policy for Europe to be competitive, said MEPs in the Committee on Regional Development.
MEPs demanded that gender mainstreaming must be implemented in the EU cohesion policy in a mini-hearing with external experts on Gender Mainstreaming in the EU Cohesion Policy organised by the Committee on Regional Development on Tuesday, 13 April 2011. Constanze Krehl (S&D, DE) pointed to the (...) Read more
European & International News
Commission calls on EU countries to set national strategies for Roma integration

Posted on 13 April 2011 |

[European Commission, Brussels, 12 April 2011] The European Commission is putting forward a European Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, which will help guide national Roma policies and mobilise funds available at EU level to support inclusion efforts.
The EU Framework develops a targeted approach for Roma inclusion by setting goals in: Education: ensuring that all Roma children complete primary school Employment: cutting the employment gap between Roma and other citizens (...) Read more
European & International News
European convention on violence against women to include protection for lesbian, bisexual and trans women

Posted on 11 April 2011 |

[ILGA-Europe, Brussels, 08 April 2011] The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe announced yesterday that it adopted a new convention to protect women from violence on 6 April 2011. ILGA-Europe regards this as a major step forward in the fight against gender-based violence and towards full protection of women across Europe from both domestic violence and in other circumstances such as violence in public places, forced marriage, rape, ‘honour’ crimes and genital mutilation.
Lesbian, (...) Read more
European & International News
True or False? Europe has no real interest in protecting and empowering women - A critical article by V-Day founder, Eve Ensler

Posted on 7 April 2011 |

[Brussels, 08 April 2011] As political change spreads across the Middle East and we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day last month, I have spent a great deal of time meditating and appreciating the heroic and crucial role of grassroots women throughout the world. I’ve thought about how they have worked tirelessly and often under attack to stand up against violence and injustice, to provide services when the government fails to do so, and to demand accountability and (...) Read more
European & International News
European Parliament: EU agricultural policy should enforce gender equality

Posted on 7 April 2011 |

[European Parliament, Brussels, 07 April 2011] Implementing gender equality into the reform of EU agricultural policy is a way to promote sustainable economic growth, say Members of the European Parliament in a resolution that calls for granting women farmers social protection and maternity benefits.
The Parliament approved on Tuesday 5 April a report, drafted by Elisabeth Jeggle (PPE, DE), about the role of women in rural areas that calls for further efforts to improve living conditions (...) Read more
European & International News
EU Commission seeks citizens’ views on gender balance in corporate boards

Posted on 6 April 2011 |

[Brussels, 06 April 2011] Enforcing equal presentation of women and men in company boards is an option presented in the European Commission’s consultation paper on corporate governance.
The public consultation launched on 5 April addresses the ways in which corporate governance of European companies can be improved in order to make companies more ethical and more diverse.
The consultation covers a number of issues such as how to improve the diversity and functioning of boards of directors, (...) Read more
European & International News
European Parliament urges automatic prosecution for sex crimes

Posted on 5 April 2011 |

[FEMM Committee, European Parliament, Brussels, 05 April 2011] Rape and other forms of sexual violence against women should be classified as crimes in all EU countries, leading to automatic prosecution, says a European Parliament resolution adopted on Tuesday that calls for an EU directive to combat gender-based violence.
Europe’s women do not have equal protection against male violence across the EU, as national laws and policies differ from one Member State to another, states the (...) Read more