European & International News

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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
European & International News
European Parliament will vote on EU’s policy framework to fight violence against women

Posted on 31 March 2011 |

[Brussels, 1 April 2011] On 4 April the European Parliament will vote on the draft resolution "Priorities and outline of a new EU policy framework to fight violence against women", drafted by Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/NGL, SE).
The EWL has been following very closely the elaboration and adoption of this resolution by the Women’s Rights Committee of the European Parliament, especially as the document calls for an EU strategy on violence against women.
Following the vote, the rapporteur and (...) Read more
European & International News
European Commission publishes Annual report on Charter of Fundamental Rights

Posted on 31 March 2011 |

[European Commission, Brussels, 31 March 2011] The Commission published its 2010 annual report on the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights - the first report of its kind by the Commission.
By clarifying where the Charter applies and where it does not, the Commission hopes to ease citizens’ access to justice and to ensure that their fundamental rights are effectively implemented.
"To make the Charter work in practice, people need to know their rights and how to apply them so (...) Read more
European & International News
Voluntary female quotas do not work, Norway says

EUobserver 31 March 2011

Posted on 31 March 2011 |

[EUObserver, Brussels, 31 March 2011] Voluntary quotas for women on the boards of publicly listed companies, as proposed by the EU commission, do not work, with legally-binding ones needed, a Norwegian official has said on the basis of the Nordic country’s leading experience in the area.
"In Norway, we were not able to make a difference with the voluntary approach," public administration minister Rigmor Aasrud told EUobserver in an interview.
She recalled that Norway’s Conservative (...) Read more
European & International News
What future for the Working Time Directive?

Posted on 30 March 2011 |

[Brussels, 30 March 2011] The review of the Working Time Directive moves forward as the European Social Partners respond to EU commission’s consultation.
The organisation of working time is a major element of Social Europe, The regulation of working hours is fundamental to health and well-being of workers and the ability of female and male workers to take up the responsibilities of raising children, caring for elderly family members and be active citizens in their communities, while (...) Read more
European & International News
UN Women’s Michelle Bachelet addresses MEPs

Posted on 26 March 2011 |

[Brussels, 26 March 2011] Since last September, Michelle Bachelet, ex-President of Chile, is the first Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of UN Women. She was in Brussels on 24-25 March and attended a hearing in the European Parliament, organised by FEMM Committee. On the occasion of her visit, she also met with the EWL (read article here).
On Thursday 24 March, Michelle Bachelet briefed the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee of the EP, the Foreign Affairs’ committee (...) Read more
European & International News
Global Report on Status of Women in News Media Shows Men Hold Vast Majority of Management Jobs in Newsrooms Around the World

Posted on 24 March 2011 |

[Brussels, 24 March 2011] A groundbreaking “Global Report on the Status Women in the News Media” examining more than 500 companies in nearly 60 countries shows that men occupy the vast majority of the management jobs and news-gathering positions in most nations included in this study.
The International Women’s Media Foundation commissioned the study to closely examine gender equity in the news media around the world.
In this long-awaited extensive study, researchers found that 73 percent of (...) Read more
European & International News
Oxfam Novib & VSO propose a blueprint for the new UN Women’s agency

Posted on 21 March 2011 |

[Brussels, 21 March 2011] Oxfam International & VSO outline the key priorities of UN Women and propose how the agency should proceed to deliver tangible progress at country level in a paper "A blueprint for UN Women - what does civil society at country level expect from the new UN Women’s Agency"
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The foundation of UN Women provides a historic opportunity to transform the lives of women and girls. To deliver results, UN Women must target the most urgent issues for (...) Read more
European & International News
UK: Rule change gives abused foreign spouses access to help

Posted on 16 March 2011 |

[Brussels, 16 march 2011] Changes to visa rules in the UK will give foreign partners of UK citizens and residents who flee relationships after violence access to support services from 2012.
At present, women victims of male violence may stay in abusive situations because their spousal visas give them no recourse to public funds during an initial two-year probationary period.
Under the new rules, they will be entitled to help while a claim for residence based on the domestic violence is (...) Read more
European & International News
MEPs quizz Reding over Commission work programme on gender equality

Posted on 16 March 2011 |

[European Parliament, Brussels, 16 March 2011] Quotas for higher representation of women in company boards, reducing pay gap between men and women, combating violence against women and maternity leave were among the core issues MEPs debated with Commissioner Viviane Reding in the Women’s Rights Committee meeting on Tuesday.
Transparency of pay
For the year 2010, women had to work 64 days more than men to earn the same salary as men, said Mrs Reding, stressing that transparency was needed (...) Read more