- Stronger together: democracy and gender equality in Europe
- EU Monitoring: Current socio-political developments in Europe
- Combatting child poverty: a European child guarantee
- For a strong social Europe: The European Pillar of Social Rights and its Action Plan
- For a Union of Equality: how the EU addresses structural inequality
- Threat to democracy and human rights: the anti-gender movement in Europe
- Towards a European strategy for the equality of LGBTIQ* people
Stronger together: democracy and gender equality in Europe
The Observatory is currently working on a Dossier on the topic of democracy and gender equality in Europe against the backdrop of the upcoming European elections. The focus is on European achievements and limits concerning equality policies, with a view to an intersectional understanding of gender equality. Such an understanding addresses the entanglements of different categories of inequality and their effects.
The Dossier will be published at the end of May.
EU Monitoring: Current socio-political developments in Europe
In our EU-Monitoring, we provide a regular overview of the activities of the European Union, the Council of Europe and the European civil society organisations in the field of social policy. A special focus is on our key issues in the fields of child and youth policy, family and reconciliation policy, gender equality policy, rights of LGBTIQ* people and policy for older people.Accompanying the EU Monitoring, we publish focus issues in which the European Union's sociopolitical relevant measures and strategies are presented.
If you would like to receive the EU-Monitoring by e-mail, please write us stating your name and organisation: beobachtungsstelle (a) iss-ffm.de
Please note that the EU-Monitoring is only published in German.
For a strong social Europe: The European Pillar of Social Rights and its Action Plan
With the European Pillar of Social Rights proclamation in 2017, the European Union has set guidelines for a strong social Europe that is just and inclusive and offers opportunities for all. With its 20 principles, the European Pillar of Social Rights strengthens the social rights of EU citizens in the three dimensions of equal opportunities and access to the labour market, fair working conditions, and social protection and inclusion. In order to translate these principles into concrete actions, the European Commission adopted the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan in March 2021. The Action Plan provides three targets by 2030: employment, skills and social protection.In our Newsletter, we present both instruments in detail.
For a Union of Equality: how the EU addresses structural inequality
In November 2019, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen coined the term "Union of Equality" in the political guidelines for her future Commission 2019–2024: Based on an intersectional approach, strategies and measures are introduced to reduce structural discrimination and socially dominant stereotypes. It should be possible for everybody to have the same opportunities and realize the same life aspirations regardless of differences based on sex, race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity.The Gender Equality Strategy and the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy put this idea into practice. Both strategies apply to the years 2020 to 2025. After an introduction, they are presented as examples of further EU strategies and measures for a union of equality in the focus issue of EU monitoring.
Please note that the focus issue is only published in German.
Threat to democracy and human rights: the anti-gender movement in Europe
Far-right and anti-feminist movements mobilising against gender equality as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights have gained strength across Europe in recent years. The strengthening also brings to light an increasingly transnationally organised and financed independent anti-gender movement that attacks the rights of women* and LGBTIQ* persons. It also puts democracy, human rights and the rule of law at risk. This is evident not only locally, regionally or nationally, but also Europe-wide, where alliances are organised transnationally to undermine the European Union's foundations and reverse already existing consensus.
The Newsletter 2/2021 introduces the emergence, main lines of argumentation, and actors of the transnational anti-gender movement in Europe. To do so, the Newsletter looks at the specific case of the Istanbul Convention combatting gender-based violence. Furthermore, it provides insights into three focal topics: transnational financing structures of the anti-gender movement, increasing anti-trans attacks and corresponding counterstrategies, as well as gender-based cyber violence.
In 2023, the Observatory looked at the anti-gender movement in Europe again. Dossier 1/2023 deals with the right to abortion in Europe. Banning abortions is also intended to undermine human rights and gender equality with implications for an open and democratic society.
Towards a European strategy for the equality of LGBTIQ* people
In February 2020, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would publish a strategy for the equality of LGBTIQ people for the first time.In advance of the publication of this strategy, this Newsletter initially provides an overview of the existing legal framework and current political processes at the EU level and the situation of LGBTIQ* persons in the EU Member States. Following this, two articles present the requirements for the announced strategy from a legal and civil society perspective. The focus here is on the EU-wide recognition of rainbow families and the increasing attacks and hate speech against LGBTIQ* people.
Subsequently, two contributions will outline requirements for the announced strategy from a legal and civil society point of view. The focus is on the EU-wide recognition of rainbow families as well as the increasing attacks on and incitement to hatred against LGBTIQ* persons.
The ensuing article provides an excursus on another organisation, the Council of Europe, which adopted the world’s first instrument to combat discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity over ten years ago, the so-called Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)5 of the Committee of Ministers from 31 March 2010.
The conclusion is an overview of existing national action plans for LGBTIQ* people.
Combatting child poverty: a European child guarantee
Child poverty is widespread in Europe, even in economically strong countries. One in four children in the European Union is at risk of poverty and social exclusion. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities even further. In March 2021, the European Commission adopted the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, which aims to reduce the number of children at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the European Union by at least five million by 2030. To achieve this, an integrated approach is needed that focuses on the causes of poverty and social exclusion, and that breaks the intergenerational cycle of poverty.On 14 June 2021, the EU Member States adopted a Council recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee. Its aim is to prevent and combat the social exclusion of children in need by guaranteeing access to a set of key services, e.g. access to early childhood education and care, education, healthcare or healthy nutrition and adequate housing. The European Commission has called on the EU Member States to establish a national action plan covering the period until 2030 to implement the European Child Guarantee.