While steps have been taken over the past century to improve prospects for women and girls in science across the world, there is still a lot left to do. The global health crisis has put equalities at risk and slowed progress on a number of fronts. This podcast celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and looks at how women have contributed to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, while also being among those hit hardest by the health crisis.

Women in healthcare: COVID-19 and rising inequalities - EN

Vous êtes une femme? Vous exercez une activité indépendante et cherchez de l’aide pour lancer votre propre entreprise? Alors vous serez peut-être intéressée d’apprendre que l’Union européenne peut vous y aider. Voici comment.

Voici ce que l’Europe fait pour les femmes entrepreneures.

The constitutive meetings of the European Parliament's standing committees and subcommittees take place in Brussels on 10 July 2019, following the appointment of their members in the plenary sitting of 3-4 July. During the meetings, each committee and subcommittee will elect its respective bureau, made up of a Chair and Vice-Chairs, for a two-and-a-half year mandate. The newly set up committees will then start holding their regular meetings during the week of 22 July.

FEMM - Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Exposing and eradicating discrimination on the grounds of gender and sex remains a priority for the European Parliament. Through the&nbsp;FEMM Committee and plenary debates, MEPs frequently discuss&nbsp;the impact on women of social and economic changes.

The European Parliament aims to address and denounce events and policy that breach or threaten the rights of women,&nbsp;both within the EU and abroad.

During the last week of October 2023, the European Parliament holds its fourth European Gender Equality Week,&nbsp;at the initiative of the Women’s Rights Committee. Several committees will hold debates with a gender perspective to discuss policy shortcomings and achievements, and how to advance women's rights in all EU policy areas.

Women's rights

Full gender equality is far from being achieved, and this has implications for the lives and life chances of individual women, girls, boys and men, the communities they live in and the EU as a whole. The European Parliament has consistently taken a strong, proactive stance on advancing gender equality, stressing the need to deliver on EU commitments.

The EP´s Committee of Women´s rights and Gender equality (FEMM) is in the heart of these discussions.

Options for further EU involvement could include better implementation and enforcement of existing legislation, moves to modernise it, fill gaps in protection and address emerging issues, and non-legislative measures such as data collection and monitoring, awareness-raising, and support for national and grassroots initiatives.

Promoting equal economic independence for women and men, closing the gender pay gap, advancing gender balance in decision making, ending gender based violence and promoting gender equality beyond the EU are the concrete areas of interest for the EU.

Gender balance

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, also known as the Istanbul Convention, is the first legally binding international instrument on this issue. It establishes a comprehensive framework of measures for preventing such violence, supporting victims and punishing perpetrators.

The European Parliament first sounded the alarm about the problem of violence against women in a resolution of 11 June 1986. Since then, Parliament has played a particularly important role in the field, including through the work of its Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM). As of October 2020, it has been signed by all EU Member States, and ratified by 21.

Violence against women (2019-2020)

Women in defence, security and peace building. A special meeting of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality with members of national parliaments and invited panellists – including women in leadership roles in the military, academics, and activists – is scheduled in the run-up to the International Women's Day (8 March). The meeting will include introductory remarks by the European Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib, and will focus on 'Strengthening the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda – Upholding Women's Rights in Defence, Security, and Peacebuilding. (Thursday) A media seminar is organised on Wednesday afternoon, with EP President Roberta Metsola, MEPs, and guests from Ukraine, Israel, Palestine and international organisations.

Inter-parliamentary committee meeting on "Strengthening the Women on the occasion of the International Women's Day 2025

Hadja Lahbib was Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the Federal Cultural Institutions since 2022. She is now European Commissioner-designate for Preparedness and Crisis Management, and European Commissioner-designate for Equality, for the von der Leyen Commission II.

Confirmation hearing of Hadja LAHBIB, Commissioner-designate, Preparedness and Crisis Management

To mark the 2024 International Women's Day (8 March), the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee is holding an inter-parliamentary committee meeting, gathering EU and national parliamentarians, to discuss the situation of women in sport today. Topics include eradicating gender stereotypes, abuse scandals and getting equal financial rewards and status. The experts to speak include Olympians Charline Van Snick (Belgium), Pia Sundhage (Sweden) and Katarzyna Zillmann (Poland). (Thursday 7 March).

FEMM- International Women’s Day/Women in Sport

FEMM - Hearing: Image based sexual violence in the context of AI and social media specifically exploring the role of undressing apps and the responsibilities of platforms

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Hearing on Image based sexual violence in the context of AI and social media specifically exploring the role of undressing apps and the

FEMM

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Ordinary meeting Hearing on Women’s entrepreneurship in rural and island areas and outermost regions

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – Joint Meeting with Members of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

LIBE

FEMM - Presentation by the Commission - 2025 report on gender equality in the EU

FEMM - Hearing: Women’s entrepreneurship in rural and island areas and outermost regions

FEMM.- Combatting menstrual poverty and improving women’s rights on menstrual health

FEMM - Exchange of views with Pramila Patten, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict and Under-Secretary-General

FEMM Committee - Istanbul Convention - presentation by GREVIO (Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence)

FEMM - The Wave of consent - Based rape laws in Europe

FEMM - Advancing towards a care society: addressing the gender care gap

LIBE FEMM - 3rd Trilogue on Directive 2011/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime

MEPs debate on updating EU-wide legislation on child sexual abuse crimes to account for technological advances and to improve victim support. The legislation would revise the definitions of crimes to take account of new technological realities, raise certain maximum punishments, and provide better support to victims. The draft law criminalises child sexual abuse instruction manuals and artificially-created deepfake imagery, among other things. Opening statements. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material : Opening statements by Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL), Rapporteur, Magnus BRUNNER, European Commissioner and Heléne FRITZON (S&D, SE), FEMM Committee

Exchange of views on Polish priorities in the area of the EU security and defence (SEDE) with Paweł Zalewski, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence. Presentation of the Council Presidency’s programme (FEMM) with Katarzyna Kotula, Minister for Equality. Presentation of the Council Presidency’s programme (IMCO) with Mr Krzysztof Paszyk, Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Mr Dariusz Standerski, Secretary of State (Ministry of Digitalisation) and Ms Małgorzata Krok, Undersecretary of State (Ministry of Finance). Presentation of the Council Presidency’s programme by Mr Adam Szłapka, Minister for European Affairs. Poland's 2025 EU Presidency prioritizes security, Ukraine support, EU enlargement, and economic resilience.

Presentation of the EU Council's priorities by Polish Ministers: extracts from the EP Committee meetings (SEDE, FEMM, IMCO, AFCO)

&lt;p>From 4th to 12th November 2024, the European Parliament held the Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate, in Brussels. For 3 hours, MEPs quizzed the candidates for the College of Commissioners on their priorities ahead of the new mandate given by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission. This clip highlights the best pictures from the 26 confirmation hearings.&lt;/p>

Highlights of the hearings of the Commissioners-designate (2024)

Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) of the European Parliament. Committee on Development (DEVE), Committee on International Trade (INTA), Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) participate as joint committees. At the end of the confirmation hearing, Kaja KALLAS makes a closing statement followed by the one from the Committee Chair. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check agaisnt delivery.

Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission: closing statements by Commissioner-designate and David McALLISTER (EPP,DE), AFET Committee Ch

Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) of the European Parliament. Committee on Development (DEVE), Committee on International Trade (INTA), Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) participate as joint committees. During the confirmation hearing, Kaja KALLAS answers questions by committee members.

Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission: questions / answers (part 5 - Political groups in reverse order)

Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission: questions / answers (part 4 - Invited Committees)

Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission: questions / answers (part 3)

Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission: questions / answers (part 2)

Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission: questions / answers (part 1 - Political groups coordinators)

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