About: Women
Women farmers ‘essential’ for future, says French agriculture minister
An increasing number of women in France are entering the agricultural world, dominated by men for so long. EURACTIV France takes a closer look at the role of women farmers in the country.
Neglected by public policy, women with disabilities face double discrimination
Being a woman with a disability often leads to double discrimination, particularly in France. EURACTIV France looks into this issue that continues to largely go unnoticed by policymakers.
Gabriel: Women ‘continue to face obstacles’ in tech sector
Tech firms in Europe are 'losing out' on a wide range of talent and diversity due to their reluctance to hire women across all levels of management, the EU Commissioner for Innovation and Research, Mariya Gabriel has said.
Jourova: Anti-woman violence fuelled by right-wing politics, social media
Attempts to end violence against women and girls in the European Union are being stymied by a mix of right-wing politics and social media that inflames sexism and stereotypes, a top women's rights official said on Wednesday (24 April).
Feminism is the word in Spain’s electoral campaign
Women's rights have taken centre stage in election campaigns for Spain's left- and right-wing parties as International Women's Day approaches even as ultra-conservative groups hit back at what they dub "radical feminism."
Two centuries needed to close gender gap, says Davos Forum
The reduction of gender disparities in the workplace continues to progress slowly, with the current rate suggesting that it would take 202 years to reach economic parity between men and women, according to a study from the World Economic Forum.
France wants to support women’s role in addressing climate change
The inclusion of women in the climate debate remains in its early stages. The French women involved in the climate negotiations are trying to alert people to this issue. EURACTIV France reports.
Commissioner Gabriel in Argentina for G20 ministerial meeting on digital economy
The EU's Digital Commissioner Mariya Gabriel will attend the G20 digital economy ministerial meeting in Salta, Argentina this week (23-24 August), with the aim of promoting the EU’s gender equality agenda in digital affairs.
Women entrepreneurs ‘a vast untapped resource’, say development policy-makers
Women and girls are too often forgotten in development policy, despite being in the front-line. A mere 2% of total overseas development aid is spent on policies related to gender equality, panellists heard at the European Development Days in Brussels.
Don’t leave women out of EU investment programme, Commission is told
The issue of how the EU's External Investment Plan can help empower women and girls dominated the agenda at the European Development Days on Tuesday (5 June), as some panellists voiced concern that it might be marginalised in the final big picture.
Backlash of regressive laws curtail women’s rights, report finds
Women’s sexual and reproductive rights are “under threat”, warned the Council of Europe.
Belgium highlights pioneering role in linking private sector to aid policy
Alexander De Croo, Belgium's Minister for Development Cooperation, made a passionate plea yesterday (15 November) for closer synergies between private and public funding for development, using his country's pioneering experience as an example.
Top Europe court upholds ban on full-face veil in Belgium
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday (11 July) upheld a Belgian ban on wearing the full-face niqab veil in public, calling the restriction "necessary in a democratic society".
W20 Summit champions women’s interests ahead of G20
At the Women20 Summit in Berlin, female leaders from around the world discussed how to promote economic empowerment of women on the agenda of a still male-dominated G20 leadership. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Report: ‘Multifunctional’ women could save EU rural areas
Women can help revive declining rural areas in the EU and prevent further urbanisation, say MEPs in a new report.
The Brief: Women are better drivers than men, confirms Commission
Who are the best drivers? Men or women? Fortunately, thanks to the European Commission, we can set this controversy to rest, once and for all.
Abortion protests rock Polish government, prompt backtrack
Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has looked firmly in control since sweeping to power a year ago but it may have pressed its conservative agenda too far by initially backing a virtual ban on abortion.
Poll: British public heavily in favour of burqa ban
Twice as many British people support a ban on women wearing a burqa than oppose one, with a majority also in favour of outlawing the burkini, according to a poll published Thursday (31 August).
Bulgarian socialists elect woman as leader
Bulgaria's Socialist Party (BSP), the biggest opposition party in the Balkan country, chose a new leader yesterday (8 May) with the task of winning back disaffected voters and pushing for an early general election.
Council of Europe raps Italy over difficulty in obtaining abortions
Women's rights are being violated in Italy by the serious difficulties they face in trying to obtain safe abortions due to many doctors refusing to carry out the procedure, the Council of Europe said on Monday (11 April).
Guinea PM names women to key posts in government
Guinea's prime minister officially formed his new cabinet yesterday (4 January), handing key roles to women, including to a former official of the European Commission, and to the President’s former wife.
Britain to lobby EU to end ‘vagina added tax’
Britain will lobby the European Union and its member states to stop taxing tampons and women's sanitary products as luxury items, rather than necessities, a junior finance minister promised on Monday (26 October).
Illiteracy will cost global economy $1.2tn in 2015
Illiteracy is “a worldwide crisis” that will cost the global economy $1.2tn (£760bn) this year, the World Literacy Foundation (WLF) has warned. More than 796 million people are either completely illiterate, meaning they can’t read or write, or functionally illiterate, meaning they can’t perform basic tasks such as reading a medicine label, the WLF said in a report released on Monday (pdf).