EUROPEAN WOMEN’S LOBBY Policy UpdateOctober 2011

EWL Board meeting23 October 2011

Follow up to motions1. Justice for Women –

Olympic Games London 2012

The French coordination of the EWL - CLEF - is taking the lead in implementing this motion.

Call for interest for participation in a (virtual) working group coordinated by CLEF

Request to sign petition Create a support committee of prominent persons Letters to national olympic committees (model

letter will be provided)

  

Follow up to motions2. The role of women in the democratic transformation of their societies in the Middle East and North Africa.

Activities:Participation in meetings on the topicPresident participating in mission in TunisiaDrafting of a project proposal on exchange between relevant women’s organisations in Europe and women’s organisations in MENA countries Fundraising for project

Follow up to motions

3. EWL to counter forces trying to undermine gender equality and women's rights

Activities: Encouraging members to act and to be part in national delegations for UN CSW 2012Plan organisation of side event on the topic during UN CSW 2012

EU Presidencies:Polish Presidency of the EU - June to December 2011 Focus on conciliation policiesEWL invited to speak at Equality Summit

European Parliament: New FEMM Committee Chair: MEP Mikael Gustafsson

General

Themes covered

Social and economic policy Violence against women Women in decision-making Women and immigration,

integration and asylum

LOBBYING EFFORTS ON THE PROPOSED MATERNITY LEAVE DIRECTIVE

July 2011: Members Maternity Leave consultation Protection, all workers, full pay Protection, transition, full pay

Next steps: FEMM Committee oral question

2011-12: Efforts to unblock Directive in Council: national lobbying toolkit planned.

Carers’ leave – consultation Social Platform – recommendations on

care – December 2011

EUROPEAN YEAR FOR ACTIVE AGEING AND SOLIDARITY BETWEEN GENERATIONS

Advisory Committee - opinion on the gender dimension of active ageing EWL a key member of the AGE Coalition Manifesto + Roadmap + EWL joint statement with AGE on older women

(8 March 2012) EWL position on call to abolish mandatory retirement age active ageing = longer working life mandatory retirement age – maintained? Under what conditions? Active ageing before retirement: low women’s employment rate in

54 to 65 age group Active ageing after retirement age: beyond 65 years or official

retirement ages

EU FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVES 2014-2020

Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020June 2011 – Commission proposal negotiations

EWL aims: Introduce gender budgeting in the EU budgetary

process Increase transparencyGuarantee the access of CSOs to EU fundingSecure sufficient and predictable budget for gender

equality

EU FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVES 2014-2020

Finance programmes

Commission funding proposals by end 2012 - European Parliament and governments to negotiate

‘Rights and Citizenship’ and ‘Justice’ – new EU programmes to provide funding for gender equality and VAW

European Social Fund – specific action and gender mainstreaming

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

EIGE study on sexual violence Participation of 34 experts – Complexity of definitions, lack of data,

services, training, campaigns. Follow up: Barometer?

EWL lobbying on the Council of Europe Convention Identified by the Observatory as a possible action for the EWL Conference in Bratislava

EWL Observatory on violence against women EWL panel on NGO Observatories at the International Women’s

Health Meeting – 16 September 2011, Brussels

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENEU new Victim’s package EC Proposal for Minimum Standards for Victim’s Rights

Directive (May 2011) Reports from the European Parliament on support and

protection of victims of crime, mutual recognition of protection measures in civil matters (EPO)

Due Diligence project Indicators to measure State compliance of

their obligations to prevent, protect against, prosecute, punish and

provide redress for VAW.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENEWL lobbying for an EU Strategy and Year to end VAW: European Women’s Voice – Inaugural edition on VAW EWL-WAGGGS-IWHM event on 20 September in the EP – ‘Ending

violence against women and girls & European Union internal and external policies: The way forward’ press release + contacts

EWL President at EC conference on gender equality – panel on VAW, 20 September, Brussels

EWL collaboration with European NGOs on VAW& participation to international conferences Coalition for an EU Year – Ongoing call for partners 27 European NGOs, around 60 national NGOs,around 150 individual signatories & decision-makers

PROSTITUTIONEWL campaign ‘Together for a Europe free from prostitution’

EWL national actions: Press conference, Paris, 21/9 (CLEF) Conference on trafficking and prostitution, Budapest, 23/9 (MONA) Conference on trafficking and prostitution, Lisbon, 20/10 (Portuguese Platform

for Women’s Rights) Seminar on prostitution, Brussels, 1/12

Large press coverage of all events 6 Campaign partners (Ireland, Scotland, France, USA) 9 Supportive MEPs (Denmark, Sweden, France, Hungary, UK) 3 supportive personalities from the cultural world (France, Canada) Video clip watched more than 80,000 times Updated website

EWL lobbying: trafficking in human beings at EU level EWL participation and input on EC consultation meetings EWL participation in EC event on EU Anti-Trafficking Day, 18 October 2011, Warsaw EWL and UN event on violence against women and trafficking on 27 October,

Brussels, with EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator

EWL lobbying: sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) EWL letter to Obama on the right to abortion for women and girls raped in armed

conflicts – August 12th campaign (Global Justice Center) EWL letter to Polish Prime Minister on the law on family planning + call for action EWL forthcoming strategy on SRHR (outcome of issue group)

TRAFFICKING & SEXUAL RIGHTS

WOMEN IN DECISION-MAKINGWomen on Boards Initiative of Commissioner Reding: pledge

for private enterprises and future EU legislation?

Quota legislation in several Member States: Belgium, France, the Netherlands – strength of legislation varies

Member consultation and EWL statement.

Political decision-making Action on EP mid-term elections Work on EP report Women in politics Reviving coalition of women decision-

makers for parity Mentoring project?

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION

‘For Diversity. Against Discrimination’Input into European Commission

Directorate-General for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship’s Pan-European information campaign on anti-discrimination

MIGRATION, INTEGRATION, ASYLUM

September 2011: Contribution to the Draft opinion on the gender dimension of

integration of migrants of the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men.

October 2011: Endorsement of a joint letter of Asylum Aid (with 143 supporters) to

the UK Border Agency on making gender equality in the asylum process a key strategic priority for the Agency.

November 2011: Follow-up advocacy action to “en-gender” the European Asylum

Support Office with ILGA-Europe and Amnesty International - End FGM Campaign, Malta.

Project: “Equal Rights. Equal Voices. Migrant Women in the European Union”

26/27 September 2011:EWL Participation and recommendations to the Final Report of the Gensen Project “Enhancing gender-Sensitivity and a harmonized Approach to gender Issues in European Asylum Practices”

September 2011:EWL Amendments on Care Recommendations by integrating a

gender perspective regarding migrant domestic care workers of Social Platform

October 2011:Submission of the Nomination for the Civil Society Prize

to the European Economic and Social Committee

Project: “Equal Rights. Equal Voices. Migrant Women in the European Union”

Contribution to the participation of migrant women’s organisations in EU-level and international meetingsFilm documentary: “Breaking the Stereotypes of Migrant WomenResearch study: “Migrant Women’s Access to Labour Market”

Taking place in 6 countries to December 2011

Production and launch of websitewww.migrantwomennetwork.org

Making EU Network of Migrant Women visible

Networking tool

Increasing EU and national political participation

Project: “The Right to Family Reunification”

Joint work on the impact of family reunion legislation and policies on migrant women’s lives

EPIM project Sept. 2010 - Dec. 2011EP hearing – 10 November 2011Producing two video clips on the dependent status of women and the increase of reception conditions by member statesLobbying tool kit on family reunification

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!