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

The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

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.&nbsp;

MEPs have voted during May 2023 plenary to approve the European Union’s accession to the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, concluding Parliament’s role in the process. Six years after the EU signed the Istanbul Convention - it has still not been ratified because of the refusal of a few member states, despite&nbsp;Parliament’s multiple calls to this end.

However, the EU&nbsp;Court of Justice’s opinion of 6 October 2021&nbsp;confirmed that the European Union can ratify the Istanbul Convention without having the agreement of all member states. The Court found that the appropriate scope for the EU’s accession is asylum, judicial cooperation in criminal matters, and obligations of the EU institutions and public administration.

The EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention does not exempt member states from ratifying it themselves, MEPs have repeatedly said, urging the remaining six countries - Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia - to ratify the Convention without delay, so that it can protect women to the full extent of the Convention’s intended scope

Violence against women

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

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The right to health, including sexual and reproductive health, is protected internationally.&nbsp;Access to sexual and reproductive healthcare goods and services is a fundamental component of sexual and reproductive rights.

Under international human rights law and standards, European Union Member States should ensure access to safe and quality sexual and reproductive healthcare.

A range of United Nations (UN) treaties ban discrimination in general terms, effectively outlawing discrimination in sexual and reproductive health and rights. These rights include the right to health and the right to family planning, equal access to service, freedom from violence and the right to life. Specific international treaty protections exist to combat discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability but not sexual orientation or gender identity.

At European level, the Council of Europe protects sexual and reproductive health and rights through the European Convention on Human Rights and through the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention).

Sexual and reproductive health and rights

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)

Helena Dalli, born on 29 September 1962, is a Maltese politician.

After the hearing by the Committees on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) of the European Parliament, the committees prepare an evaluation letter on the candidate. Parliament is expected to vote on the new Commission as a whole on 23 October.

Hearing of Helena DALLI, Commissioner-designate, Equality

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

FEMM.- Presentation by EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality) of the Gender Equality Index

FEMM.- Securing Gender Equality and Women's Rights in the Digital Sphere

FEMM - Public hearing on ' Addressing the challenges faced by women with disabilities in healthcare, employment, societal participation '

DEVE FEMM ENVI - Confirmation hearing of Hadja LAHBIB, European Commissioner-designate for Preparedness and Crisis Management Equality - Press Point

DEVE FEMM ENVI - Confirmation hearing of Hadja LAHBIB, European Commissioner-designate for Preparedness and Crisis Management Equality

FEMM Committee constitutive meeting

FEMM - Achievements of the 9th parliamentary term

FEMM interparlamentary Committee meeting - Women in Sports

LIBE FEMM - Public Hearing on ' the Implementation of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme '

Press conference Chair on Violence against women

LIBE/FEMM - Trilogue on Domestic violence

FEMM - Presentation of the priorities of the Belgian Presidency of the Council

EMPL - FEMM joint Committee meeting

EMPL - FEMM Trilogue on Equality

FEMM Hearing on Gender Mainstreaming and EU climate policy

FEMM - EMPL Hearing on ' Harmful practices in the EU towards women and girls with disabilities '

FEMM - Hearing on municipalism and gender equality policies in the EU

Trilogue on Equality Bodies

&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)

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 makes an opening statement and then answers questions by committee members. 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: opening statement by the High Representative

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. Ambiance of the arrivals and opening statement by David MCALLISTER, AFET 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: arrivals and opening statement by David MCALLISTER, AFET Chair

The AFET (Foreign Affairs) Committee quizzes Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President-designate of the European Commission. INTA (International Trade), FEMM (Women's Rights and Gender Equality), DROI (Human Rights), DEVE (Development) and SEDE (Security and Defence) Committees and Subcommittees are invited to participate to the Confirmation Hearing of the former Estonian Prime Minister.

Confirmation hearing of Kaja KALLAS, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission: atmosphere shots

Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Development (DEVE) of the European Parliament. Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Committee on International Trade (INTA), andCommittee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) participate as joint committees. At the end of the confirmation hearing, Jozef SÍKELA makes the closing statement followed by the one from the Committee Chair. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: closing statement by Jozef SÍKELA and Committee Chair

Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Development (DEVE) of the European Parliament. Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Committee on International Trade (INTA), andCommittee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) participate as joint committees. During the confirmation hearing, Jozef SÍKELA answers questions by committee members.

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: questions / answers (part 5)

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: questions / answers (part 4)

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: questions / answers (part 3)

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: questions / answers (part 2)

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: questions / answers

Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Development (DEVE) of the European Parliament. Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Committee on International Trade (INTA), and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) participate as joint committees. During the confirmation hearing, Jozef SÍKELA gives an opening speech and then answers questions by committee members. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: opening statement by the Commissioner-designate

Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Development (DEVE) of the European Parliament. Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Committee on International Trade (INTA), and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) participate as joint committees. Ambiance of the arrivals and opening statements by Committees Chairs. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Confirmation hearing of Jozef SÍKELA, European Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships: arrivals and opening statement by Barry ANDREWS (Renew, IE), Chair of the Committee on Development

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