EU’s upcoming Directive to combat violence against women: what strengths and weaknesses?

19/4/2022

The European Commission proposes EU-wide rules to combat violence against women and domestic violence. The Commission aims to enshrine minimum standards in EU Law to:

Criminalise of rape as lack of consent, female genital mutilation, and cyber violence
Improve safe reporting and risk assessment procedures
Ensure respect for victims’ privacy in judicial proceedings and right to compensation
Support victims through helplines and rape crisis centres

LGBTI-persons extra vulnerable during COVID-19 pandemic

21/9/2021

LGBTI-persons and particularly young people ran increased risks of verbal and physcial violence during the lockdowns, and many struggled with depressions and thoughts of suicide. Especially those who could not ‘out’ themselves at home endured very challenging times. Being disconnected from their peers pushed young LGBTI-persons even more into social isolation, says senator, member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and chair of the ‘Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda’, Fourat Ben Chikha, at the Human rights conference held in Copenhagen during the World Pride late August. The impact of the measurements on the human rights of LGBTI-persons needs close monitoring, so he said, to allow the adoption of necessary (preventive) actions to guarantee their rights.

Over 100 parliamentarians from all over the world had gathered in Copenhagen to discuss the contemporary challenges for LGBTI-persons. Also, MP Goedele Liekens and Flemish MP and senator Orry Van de Wauwer, both members of the ‘Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda’ were present. Former member and current Vice-Prime Minister Petra De Sutter represented the Belgian government at the World Pride.

What progress 5 years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

18/8/2020

Photo by ev on Unsplash

In September 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, setting forward 17 Sustainable Development Goals, with no less then 169 targets to be achieved by 2030. What progress has been made since?

Commission on Foreign Affairs adopts resolution on SRHR for the 2030 Agenda

30/6/2017

Sabien Lahaye-Battheu (2nd left) at the Interparliamentary Union in Bangladesh.

The Commission on Foreign Affairs of Belgium’s federal parliament has unanimously adopted a resolution for the implementation and follow-up of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the 2030 Agenda.

The resolution identifies the challenges with regard to SRHR. To mention a few: 225 million women who want to prevent or avoid pregnancy lack access to contraception, one in three women is a victim of partner violence or sexual violence in her lifetime and every year 16 million teenagers give birth. The 2030 Agenda contains specific targets to tackle these problems, such as universal access to family planning and the elimination of violence against girls and women.

The members of parliament call upon the Belgian government to implement the Agenda and to encourage other countries to do so. They want systematic attention for SRHR in the negotiations of collaboration programmes with partner countries of the Belgian development cooperation. They also want Belgium to increase the support for SRHR within international organisations, such as the WHO, UNICEF and UNWOMEN, and to call on other countries in the UN Human Rights Council and other international forums to protect and promote SRHR.

The resolution was submitted by Hon. Sabien Lahaye-Battheu, president of the Parliamentarians for the 2030 Agenda. With Belgium presenting its Voluntary National Review to the UN in mid-July the timing is perfect.

She Decides visit to Benin and Senegal by Deputy Prime Minister

4/5/2017

Axelle Red, Deputy Prime Minister De Croo and Goede Liekens. Copyright: Goele Geeraert

As part of the She Decides-Initiative, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation, Alexander De Croo visited Benin and Senegal, partner countries of the Belgian Development Cooperation. In Benin, the Minister signed two programmes promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights.

US defunds largest UN provider of SRHR

5/4/2017

The Trump-Pence administration has decided to cease all support to the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA. In 2016 only US support to UNFPA helped to prevent 2.340 maternal deaths, 947.000 unplanned pregnancies and 295.000 unsafe abortions. It allowed an estimated 800.000 people to freely decide about their number of children. US support to UNFPA also reached no less than 9 million people in humanitarian emergencies and refugee camps, where the organization provides sexual and reproductive health services and tries to prevent genderbased violence.

EU’s upcoming Directive to combat violence against women: what strengths and weaknesses?

LGBTI-persons extra vulnerable during COVID-19 pandemic

What progress 5 years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

Commission on Foreign Affairs adopts resolution on SRHR for the 2030 Agenda

She Decides visit to Benin and Senegal by Deputy Prime Minister

US defunds largest UN provider of SRHR

Archive

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EU’s upcoming Directive to combat violence against women: what strengths and weaknesses?

LGBTI-persons extra vulnerable during COVID-19 pandemic

What progress 5 years into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

Commission on Foreign Affairs adopts resolution on SRHR for the 2030 Agenda

She Decides visit to Benin and Senegal by Deputy Prime Minister

﻿US defunds largest UN provider of SRHR

Archive

Categories

US defunds largest UN provider of SRHR