We are back on track with the twelfth edition!
Europe on Track 11 Results – Results Booklet Following the completion of Europe on Track 11, a booklet was developed to reflect on the process, highlight key moments, and present the voices and contributions of young people engaged throughout the project. Through it, the team presented the objectives of this edition, outlining the motivation behind the project and the key… Read more → The post EoT 11 Results – Results Booklet first appeared on Europe on Track.
Europe on Track 11 Results – Results Booklet Following the completion of Europe on Track 11, a booklet was developed to reflect on the process, highlight key moments, and present the voices and contributions of young people engaged throughout the project. <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-5228" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EOT-11-Booklet-320x453.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="354" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EOT-11-Booklet-320x453.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EOT-11-Booklet-960x1358.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EOT-11-Booklet-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EOT-11-Booklet-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EOT-11-Booklet.jpg 1414w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /> Through it, the team presented the objectives of this edition, outlining the motivation behind the project and the key questions it set out to explore. The booklet then follows the Europe on Track 11 journey, introducing the ambassadors who carried the project across Europe and highlighting the cities, events, and local communities that shaped the experience. Readers will find an overview of the workshops and activities that took place, explaining their methodology and thematic focus. This is complemented by a section on key findings and insights, drawn directly from discussions, group work, and interactions with participants. To ground these findings in lived experience, the booklet includes participants’ feedback and data, as well as selected quotes that reflect the diversity of voices and perspectives encountered throughout the project. In addition, the booklet showcases the project’s online presence and social media interactions, illustrating how Europe on Track 11 engaged young people beyond physical events and fostered transnational dialogue. Finally, it offers a concise overview of the policy recommendations, connecting grassroots youth input to concrete proposals aimed at promoting more inclusive, accessible, and representative youth policies across Europe. Together, these sections provide a comprehensive overview of Europe on Track 11, serving both as a record of the project’s impact and as a resource for advocacy, reflection, and future action. Read the booklet bellow. The post EoT 11 Results – Results Booklet first appeared on Europe on Track.
Europe on Track 11 Results – Policy Paper After thousands of kilometers traveled, countless workshops, and meaningful conversations across Europe, the 11th edition of Europe on Track has reached its final destination! This year, AEGEE-Europe’s flagship project invited young people from all corners of the continent to explore how intersectional identities influence political representation and civic engagement. Together, they discussed… Read more → The post EoT 11 Results – Policy Statement​ first appeared on Europe on Track.
Europe on Track 11 Results – Policy Statement <img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-5240 alignright" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2224_1-320x180.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="180" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2224_1-320x180.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2224_1-960x540.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2224_1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2224_1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2224_1-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" />After thousands of kilometers traveled, countless workshops, and meaningful conversations across Europe, the 11th edition of Europe on Track has reached its final destination! This year, AEGEE-Europe’s flagship project invited young people from all corners of the continent to explore how intersectional identities influence political representation and civic engagement. Together, they discussed how overlapping factors: such as gender, ethnicity, class, disability, and sexuality, shape the way we participate in society and access opportunities. <img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-5239 alignleft" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2172-320x180.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="180" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2172-320x180.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2172-960x540.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2172-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2172-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_2172-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /> Their insights have now been gathered into a set of policy recommendations that highlight the need for intersectional approaches across Europe’s most pressing areas of youth policy. The results are structured around five key policy areas: Economy & Education, Accessibility & Representation, Housing & Healthcare, Transport & Climate, and Data & Bureaucracy. These recommendations reflect the voices of hundreds of young Europeans working towards a more equitable, accessible, and representative Europe, and you can find them bellow. The post EoT 11 Results – Policy Statement​ first appeared on Europe on Track.
Mental Health and Gender Equality: Inclusion through advocacy
In every one of its yearly additions, Europe on Track highlights an important social topic through discourse its ambassadors create with European youth. This year, our seventh edition focused on social inclusion by tackling two sub-topics: Mental Health and Gender Equality. How does dialogue pave the way to social inclusion? The majority of youth across Europe are already familiar with the basics of mental… Read more → The post Mental Health and Gender Equality: Inclusion through advocacy first appeared on Europe on Track.
In every one of its yearly additions, Europe on Track highlights an important social topic through discourse its ambassadors create with European youth. This year, our seventh edition focused on social inclusion by tackling two sub-topics: Mental Health and Gender Equality. How does dialogue pave the way to social inclusion? The majority of youth across Europe are already familiar with the basics of mental health. Our online workshops – which gathered participants from member states of the European Union (EU), in addition to non-EU European countries – attested to this. Despite this preliminary knowledge, dozens of workshop participants were shocked by the scope of mental health issues across the continent and the commonality of mental disorders among European youth. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3563" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-320x195.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="195" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-320x195.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-768x468.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-960x585.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-830x506.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-230x140.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-350x213.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health-480x293.jpg 480w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mental-health.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /> The figures denoting the large number of European individuals affected by mental health issues and the limited availability of adequate, accessible and good-quality care in their respective countries are often swept under the rug. This, coupled with the lack of early integration of ‘mental health’ in education, and the lack of public understanding ensued, creates an environment that garners social stigmatisation and the alienation of individuals diagnosed with mental health illnesses – thus leading to social exclusion. Social exclusion is a term coined in 1974 by a philosopher in France, where AEGEE was founded nearly a decade after. René Lenoir used the term to refer to ‘social misfits’ including, those who had mental health disorders, who did not have equal access to resources due to discrimination. A key area of EOT7‘s focus in workshops is discrimination and stigma, both social and internal, and ways to combat them. By raising awareness and eliminating stigma, we hope to swap exclusion with social inclusion – defined by the UN as the process of providing fair opportunities and access to resources, as well as ensuring the protection of dignity and rights of disadvantaged groups. A 2010 study by Queen’s University, published in a psychiatry journal, listed initiatives combating stigma as one of four effective tools to improve social inclusion for people with mental health illnesses. This means that raising awareness on social stigma and helping young people combat it is a powerful tool to fight against inequality and achieve social inclusion. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3565" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-320x195.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="195" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-320x195.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-768x468.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-960x585.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-830x506.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-230x140.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-350x213.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1-480x293.jpg 480w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mulan-1.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" />Another obstruction to inclusion in society is stigma pertaining to gender identity and sexual orientation. Last year, a research briefing released by the European Parliament found that despite active EU laws prohibiting discriminations against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals, practices of verbal abuse and violence towards members of the LGBTI community persisted throughout the EU. Although sexual orientation is recognised in EU law as grounds of discrimination, these laws do not exist on a Europe-wide scale. Even in the EU, sexual orientation-related laws do not extend to social protection, healthcare, education and access to goods and services, leaving LGBTI people particularly vulnerable in these areas. This creates a need for advocacy and inclusion. Our interactive workshop on gender sexual orientations and gender identity aimed to equip participants with in-depth knowledge of gender mainstreaming, which is a global strategy for promoting gender equality. By becoming aware of the wide spectrum of sexual orientations and gender identities, Europe’s youth can take the first step towards overcoming sex and gender based discrimination that are still engrained in some societies to date. The post Mental Health and Gender Equality: Inclusion through advocacy first appeared on Europe on Track.
Pandemic of femicide: Violence against women during COVID-19
Femicide, also known as feminicide, is by far the most severe type of gender-based violence (GBV), described as “the deliberate murder of women because they are women.” In 1801 the term femicide originated specifically to convey the action of murdering women. Later on, Wharton’s law lexicon decided to officially publish the term in 1848.[1] Another terminology utilized is “feminicide”, which… Read more → The post Pandemic of femicide: Violence against women during COVID-19 first appeared on Europe on Track.
Femicide, also known as feminicide, is by far the most severe type of gender-based violence (GBV), described as “the deliberate murder of women because they are women.” In 1801 the term femicide originated specifically to convey the action of murdering women. Later on, Wharton’s law lexicon decided to officially publish the term in 1848.[1] Another terminology utilized is “feminicide”, which comes from the Latin word femina, which means “female”. The present terminology began with the feminist movement in the 1970s, which also attempted to enhance feminine awareness and opposition to gender discrimination, also, feminists implemented the phrase to put aggression against women into the political realm.[2] Some scholars argue that there are two versions of femicide. The first is the killing of women due to their gender and the second is the killing of women because they are designated as “women”. This definition was proposed by British scholar Juliet Mitchell in her radical feminist essay ‘Sisters and Strangers’ (1970), followed by her book “Woman’s Estate” (1975), where she explains and distinguishes the different forms of femicide. However, Various typologies of femicide have been proposed by researchers in the past several decades with most distinguishing ‘intimate femicide’ from various other types of femicide (e.g., familial femicide and stranger femicide).[3] The categories of femicide are defined as: Intimate femicide, also known as intimate relationship femicide, refers to the murder of women by present or previous partners. Women are far more likely than males to be assaulted, raped, or killed by a partner or ex-partner across the world, which most typically occurs in partnerships with a background of domestic partner abuse.[3] Non-intimate femicide entails the murder of women by those with whom they did not have an intimate partner relationship and includes a wide range of femicide subtypes such as family femicide, ‘other known offender’ femicide, stranger femicide, Honour killings, dowry death and femicide suicide.[3] Femicide in war and conflict settings. The systematic targeting of women and mass rape are used to demolish local populations and humiliate opponents during times of war, genocide, and armed conflict. Rape victims may be marginalized and killed as a result of their ordeal. “These unreported gender-based killings of women and girls may dramatically increase the global number of [femicide] victims,” according to the UNODC.[4] <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4147" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/mika-baumeister-MvNahx-yrqY-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> International reaction to “Femicide”: The United Nations General Assembly amended its policy in 2013, acknowledging that “gender-related homicide of women and girls has been criminalised in some nations as “femicide” or “feminicide,” and has been integrated into national legislation in such countries.” Dr. Dubravka is currently the UN Special Rapporteur, she has been an outspoken supporter of anti-femicide policy implementation. She has delivered studies to the UN such as “Modalities for the Establishment of Femicides/Gender-Related Killings.” [5] In 2020, an independent UN human rights expert stated that COVID-19 is overshadowing what has become a “pandemic of femicide” and related gender-based violence against women and girls, Therefore, Dr. Dubravka proposed a “femicide watch” initiative to track femicide practices worldwide. Simonovic’s academic program’s purpose is to analyse data on femicide instances in an attempt to detect risk indicators and any difficulties in policymaking.[5] UN Women indicates through their online awareness campaign “shadow pandemic” that the Emerging data shows an increase in calls to domestic violence helplines in many countries since the outbreak of COVID-19. Also, Sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women continue to occur on the streets, in public spaces and online. Statistical framework: According to research published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime through a statistical framework indicates the Key finding as follows; Homicides in the domestic sphere impact all sexes, but women and girls bear the burden of deadly domestic violence, accounting for around 6 out of every 10 homicide victims slain by intimate partners or other family members.[6] 47,000 women and girls were killed by their romantic partners or even other friends and family in 2020. This implies that every 11 minutes, a woman or girl is slain by a member of her own family. Further, Global data on the impact of COVID-19 confinement measures on gender-based violence against women and girls remains sparse and ambiguous. From 2019 to 2020, the average yearly number of these homicides increased by 11% in Western Europe and 5% in Southern Europe. Northern Europe had seen a slight change, whereas Eastern Europe showed a modest drop. In comparison, the number of gender-related homicides of women and girls surged by 8% in Northern America, 3% in Central America, and 5% in South America. These increases were comparable to prior yearly changes documented during the last decade. The UNODC Monthly records from a limited number of nations spanning the period October 2019 to December 2020 indicate substantial diversity in patterns among countries but imply that, overall, female intimate partner/family-related homicides remained mostly unaffected by those nations’ lockdowns.[6] <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4146" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> Policies and measures to combat Gender-based killing: In order to solve the issue of gender-based violence against women and girls, four approach domains are critical: Bridging statistical data gaps in female and gender homicides: For efficient and integrated steps to avert, detect, and prosecute gender-related killings of women, it is critical to acquire, analyse, and share necessary data. Comparability and accessibility of exact information are critical for characterising the scope of gender-related homicide in its many expressions, reasons, and repercussions.[6] Preventing and addressing femicide & GBV: At least 155 nations have implemented domestic abuse legislation, and the majority of national action plans on gender-based violence or crime against women contain explicit domestic and intimate partner abuse initiatives. Domestic violence can be prevented by a variety of measures, including protective orders, domestic violence services, firearm control, and divorce. On a national and municipal level, numerous states produced a legislative frameworks, policies, and action plans on violence against women. o In Germany, for instance, the Federal Government’s Second Action Plan to Fight Violence Against Women includes over 130 measures and programs that are implemented in collaboration between state institutions and non-governmental support agencies.[6], [7] o The National Strategy for the Eradication of Violence Against Women (2013-2016) in Spain outlines specific strategies to avoid and respond to various forms of violence. Relevant actions were made in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the basis of the “Call to End Violence Against Women and Girls” strategy, which applies to England and is followed by an annual action plan. Ensuring effective prosecution and sanctions for perpetrators of gender-related killings o Preventive measures include criminalising and responding quickly to acts of violence that occur before the homicide. States have taken relevant actions such as reforming legislative, policy, and institutional frameworks, as well as awareness-raising and larger educational activities to address gender inequality as a source of brutality against women. Also, Coordination between criminal justice agencies and collaboration with other governmental and non-governmental partners are key to ensuring successful criminal justice responses to gender-related killings of women and girls. Investing in evidence-based prevention of GBV against women and girls: Long-term strategies at several levels are required to decrease the frequency of GBV and the number of gender-related homicides of women and girls. The United Nations system has highlighted seven essential strategies to prevent GBV, outlined in the R.E.S.P.E.C.T framework,[8] The framework was developed by the WHO and UN Women and is endorsed by an initial 12 other UN agencies and bilateral partners. Each letter conveys a strategy: [R] Relationship skills strengthened: strategies to improve skills in interpersonal communication, conflict management and shared decision-making. [E] Empowerment of women: economic and social empowerment strategies including those that build skills in self-efficacy, assertiveness, negotiation, and self-confidence. [S] Services ensured: ensuring a range of services including health, police, legal, and social services for survivors of violence. [P] Poverty reduced: strategies targeted to women or the household, whose primary aim is to alleviate poverty. [E] Environments made safe: efforts to create safe schools, public spaces and work environments, among others. [C] Child and adolescent abuse: strategies that establish gender-equitable and nurturing relationships by parents, educators and others working with children. This strategy demonstrates the overlap between violence against children and violence against women. [T] Transformed attitudes, beliefs and norms: strategies that challenge harmful gender attitudes, beliefs, norms and stereotypes. Overall, to effectively eradicate and decrease Gender-based killing and femicide, we need to Consider enhancing international cooperation in these cases, including by ratifying and implementing the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) and their follow-up mechanisms. Also, Evaluate, assess, and modify national laws to adequately address gender-related killings of women, such as providing for specific offences or aggravating circumstances where appropriate, and reviewing legislation to ensure that it does not include discriminatory factors such as “passion,” “violent emotion,” “honour,” or “provocation” that enable offenders to avoid direct prosecution.[7] With the support of relevant United Nations entities, proficient regional institutions, and civil society, including academic and research institutions, we will proceed and improve international cooperation and technical support to discuss capacity gaps and the exchange of information on the deployment of promising practices to prevent and address gender-related killings of women. By Raghda Salem A. Elziyadi References [1] Canadian Femicide Observatory for justice and accountability, “The history of the term ‘femicide,’” 2012. https://femicideincanada.ca/about/history (accessed May 21, 2022). [2] Paulina García-Del Moral, “The Murders of Indigenous Women in Canada as Feminicides: Toward a Decolonial Intersectional Reconceptualization of Femicide,” Women in Culture and Society, pp. 311–315, 2019, Accessed: May 20, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/696692 [3] Canadian Femicide Observatory for justice and accountability, “Types of Femicide,” 2020, Accessed: May 21, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.femicideincanada.ca/about/types [4] C. Corradi, “Femicide, its causes and recent trends: What do we know?,” 2021. [5] Helen Hemblade; Andrada Filip; Andrew Hunt, “Femicide Volume VII : establishing a femicide watch in every country.,” Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS), 2017, Accessed: May 21, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.worldcat.org/title/femicide-volume-vii-establishing-a-femicide-watch-in-every-country/oclc/1029877523 [6] UNODC, “Killings of women and girls by their intimate partner or other family members,” 2021. [7] United Nations, “Action against gender-related killing of women and girls Report of the Secretary-General,” 2015. [8] UN-Women, “How to use the RESPECT framework implementation guide.” Accessed: May 22, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2020/RESPECT-implementation-guide-Overview-en.pdf The post Pandemic of femicide: Violence against women during COVID-19 first appeared on Europe on Track.
Why women are disproportionately affected by climate change
One of the devastating and irrefutable conclusions of the latest IPCC report (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is that no one is safe from climate change. The greatest impacts will directly affect the most vulnerable and marginalised people and in consequence, not only will the gap between rich and poor increase more and more but also the gender gap,… Read more → The post Why women are disproportionately affected by climate change first appeared on Europe on Track.
One of the devastating and irrefutable conclusions of the latest IPCC report (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is that no one is safe from climate change. The greatest impacts will directly affect the most vulnerable and marginalised people and in consequence, not only will the gap between rich and poor increase more and more but also the gender gap, which really gives us some food for thought, doesn’t it? The effects of rising temperatures will disproportionately affect those who depend on agricultural and coastal activities, indigenous populations, children, the elderly, low-income households, women and pregnant people particularly, through food insecurity, higher food prices, income losses, loss of livelihood activities, health impacts, and displacement, as the Sustainable Development, Poverty Eradication and Reducing Inequalities report states. You might be wondering why women are one of the most vulnerable groups. Let’s dive deeper into this. The gender inequalities that are registered both in health and in finances or access to food are increasingly growing. Women usually have a lower income than men which allows them less adaptation to severe climate situations. Moreover, they are the majority of nursing staff in many countries and, therefore, bear the brunt and more stress during natural disasters caused by climate change. Their mortality is unfortunately also higher in environmental disasters due to several factors such as social status. According to the United Nations (UN), especially in developing countries, the effects of climate change on gender are not the same given that women are proportionally more dependent on threatened natural resources and as a consequence, climate change plays a pivotal role like any other economic stressor, enhancing crises. It is important to bear in mind that women and girls often carry the burden of water and fuel collection and food provision. Furthermore, a report by the Spanish Institute of Women claims that 80% of climate refugees are women and girls since these climate hazards directly affect their most basic human survival needs, such as water availability. According to the Progress on drinking water and sanitation report by UNICEF, in 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, women spend 16 million hours fetching water while men only spend 6 million hours. In consequence, the lack of water and hence, food insecurity, is one of the factors that generate more displacement of the population. The situation of forced migration, in addition to the consequences associated with forced abandonment of the place of residence, especially exposes migrant women to other problems, such as discrimination in the host society and an increased risk of sexual violence, as the article the Role of Climate Change in Exacerbating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against Women: A New Challenge for International Law argues. Hence, climate change is also a women’s issue. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4141" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-RN14PbITnnM-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> But, just what are the factors that further this issue? Cultural and social factors have shrunk the role of women’s participation in decision-making. Due to their social-cultural norms and childcare responsibilities, women often make the decision to not migrate or seek refuge when a disaster hits. This has made the subsistence of women in decision-making processes more precarious since having to travel longer to get drinking water and wood and having the responsibility of securing household livelihoods is putting more burden on them. More and more, women have less time to invest in their education and their development as human beings. This situation along with the limited access to and control of environmental goods and services and the lack of participation, further the gap between men and women and decreases the likelihood of women adapting to climate change. At first glance, it seems that this issue only affects women in developing countries, however, some studies have come to the light and give evidence that in Southern Europe, heat waves have already begun to show that women suffer its effects and there is a gender factor in this. Only 5% of development cooperation aid directed to the agricultural sector is earmarked specifically for gender equality, according to OECD. This calls for a debate regarding the economic factors involved. Nowadays, in the Middle East, women contribute up to 50% of the agricultural workforce, which means that they are mainly responsible for the more time-consuming and labour-intensive tasks. Furthermore, during periods of drought and erratic rainfall, girls often have to leave school in order to help their mothers to secure resources for their families and income. In Latin America, according to the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, almost 60 million women live in the countryside but only 30% of them own agricultural land. Barely 10% of them have access to credit and only 5% have access to technical assistance programs. FAO data confirms this inequality: although women produce 50% of the food, and in many developing countries up to 60-80%, they obtain between 20-30% less profit than male farmers. These aspects, alongside the effects of adverse weather events such as droughts or floods, are affecting the income of women farmers and their livelihoods. Several investigations claim that if women who work the land had the same access to resources as men, such as training, technologies and financing, yields could increase by 20-30% and total agricultural production by 2.5-4%, which would mean lifting between 100 and 150 million people out of poverty. Therefore, the climate crisis is not “gender-neutral”. Existing gender inequalities are being amplified and women and girls are being the main target, threatening their livelihoods, health, and safety. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4142" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-dYZumbs8f_E-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> Addressing negative climate impacts on women Women clearly suffer disproportionately from the negative impacts of the climate crisis. Yet women are not just victims, but active drivers of reform, adaptation, mitigation and climate action. In many societies, women have a close relationship with their environment due to the tasks they performed in traditional roles over the centuries. While these role allocations are slowly breaking down in many places, women still retain the main collection of historically acquired knowledge and skills related to natural resource management, including harvesting, water management, food preservation, storage and rationing. This experience is very valuable in improving the adaptation capacities of societies and sustaining communities through the adverse impacts of the climate crisis. It, therefore, needs to be ensured that all mitigation and adaptation strategies include and reflect the perspectives, experiences, priorities and needs of women (see United Nations Chronicle on “Women In The Shadow Of Climate Change”). Adaptation initiatives need to identify gender-specific impacts of climatic changes as well as their own initiatives, and their response to them, together with the women concerned. Existing inequalities, such as restricted access to resources, and areas of particular vulnerability, especially water, food security, health, and disaster and conflict management, need to be addressed with their gender-specific dimension in mind. The same applies to long-term development and strategic planning of mitigation and adaptation projects. Another urgent issue is the fair and equal distribution of funding. In many countries, women have restricted access to finances for their projects. Decision-making on all levels of government – whether local, regional, national or international – and especially concerning the distribution of financial resources, needs to equally include women. Donor agencies, international organisations, NGOs and other supporters need to be sensibilized to account for the women-specific circumstances and needs in their investment. When developing and deploying new technologies to adapt or mitigate the climate crisis, the involvement of women in the process and their access to these technologies must be ensured. To achieve all this, many reforms and changes are needed to address structural and locally differing inequalities that bar women from equal participation in society – not just regarding decisions on climate adaptation and mitigation, but in most areas of life. Many social, economic, and cultural barriers need to be overcome and gender perspectives must be mainstreamed into international, national and local policies. But one thing is clear – the climate crisis can only be solved if the solution involves everyone. Written by The Climate Emergency Working Group, AEGEE-Europe The post Why women are disproportionately affected by climate change first appeared on Europe on Track.
“It’s not you. It’s him!” The real story of the victim of rape.
The experiences women go through open our eyes to the dangers of gender-based violence and discrimination. And I would like to share my story with everyone who still has doubts about the seriousness of the issue. To the men who were never taught what consent is, to those who hurt women just because it gives them joy and to all… Read more → The post “It’s not you. It’s him!” The real story of the victim of rape. first appeared on Europe on Track.
The experiences women go through open our eyes to the dangers of gender-based violence and discrimination. And I would like to share my story with everyone who still has doubts about the seriousness of the issue. To the men who were never taught what consent is, to those who hurt women just because it gives them joy and to all of those who see people being a victim of domestic violence and choose to ignore it. I would urge you to not turn a blind eye and do everything in your power to intervene. You might not be listened to at first but your voice is important. Several people sharing stories with me about the guy who raped me and was gaslighting me for 2 years, made me realise and helped me collect my strength to face him and tell him that I don’t want him in my life, that he made me miserable while always portraying himself as the victim. Abusers tend to do this. Tell you how you did something that, it’s your fault, make you feel horrible and then apologise although they were the one who hit you or was mentally torturing you for things that are so banal and so unimportant. This is my story. I was raped 4 years ago by a man I considered one of my best friends. It took me 2 years to realise it and 1 more to be able to say it out loud and then say it out loud without getting upset or suddenly feeling this huge tightness in my throat that makes me feel like I am not able to speak right now. It is a process, yes. A process that is still ongoing every day, every minute and second of my life. As sometimes it feels like this ticking time bomb that waits in your brain to explode and what the explosion will look like is a complete mystery. I have been going to therapy for a bit more than a year and my main problem to tackle and talk about in there is indeed my rape and the domestic violence I experience. 2 years ago I had no idea that even if you were not in a relationship with a personal meaning that you were not calling each other partners and you are not living together, a person that you have a sexual relationship with can also put you in a situation of domestic violence. Even while writing this small personal statement, I am not sure where to start and what is important to mention… Here are some common questions that pop up. Does rape or domestic violence change you? Yes, it does. You will from that moment be a completely different person that you need to get to know. However, give that person the space and the opportunity to flourish and tell you who they are. You will not be the same but you will become stronger and more able to identify situations or behaviours that might transform into sexual violence or harassment. Is having sex the same? No, and it will never be. I am still working on that part. I am very scared of men sometimes and I don’t correspond well in situations when flirting can get into rather flirting with sexual tension and I barely had any sex for the past 3 years while working on what happened to me. And when something small like even a consensual kiss happens I tend to panic and focus on eating or gaining weight. Just a note here. I have always had problems with my weight but since this happened I tend to try to gain weight on purpose so I make myself less desirable or sexually attractive to men. Thank you, no thank you, brain. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4134" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-960x1134.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="1134" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-960x1134.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-320x378.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-768x908.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-830x981.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-230x272.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-350x414.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash-480x567.jpg 480w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/luis-galvez-I8gQVrDcXzY-unsplash.jpg 1866w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> Did you do something to make it happen? In my case, I have known that I will have sex with the guy who raped me as it was something building up in our communication for months. So I did somehow give my consent to him online before we finally met again in person. This has haunted my brain for such a long time while blaming myself for putting myself into a situation in which I was beaten up and raped. The confusion came from the fact that I had had consensual sex with him and I started thinking maybe I was not clear. BULLSHIT. Whatever or whenever your brain tries to make excuses: don’t listen to it. But it also took me a year of therapy and being put into hypnosis to go back and think about the exact moment when it happened to realise that the fact I was crying and trying to push him away is enough of a “no”. I had sex with that guy on multiple occasions. I had stopped our sexual interaction a month after he raped me but I still had to work with him on a voluntary project and I made the mistake of staying his friend. At some point, he was heartbroken due to a breakup with his girlfriend and I really felt bad for him out of pity I decided to sleep with him again. He then started hitting me while having sex for no apparent reason until one time he bruised half of my face. I had a blue eye for 2 weeks and only one person asked me what happened. None of the people I met or worked with, not even the people I lived with asked me and even my housemates didn’t. It’s “I don’t want to get involved in other people’s business”. In my case, I was strong enough to say enough is enough but there are tons of women out there being stuck in committed partnerships, maybe also having kids, being financially dependent on their abuser who cannot escape and you make it your business might save a life. Please do not take this lightly! Please, reflect on that thought. Have you ever been in a relationship? Was it easy breaking up with a person even if you didn’t love them? Was it easy to even say to another person that you don’t have feelings for them when they told you they did? No, it’s never easy. Then imagine how hard it must be if you are in a relationship with someone that you love or loved and you also saw another side of them as the abuser has not always been the abuser. It can also be nice and sweet. Do the whole relationship honeymoon phase with you. They are still the abuser though. And escaping them might be the hardest thing you ever did. Moving forward The next time you see something wrong going on with a person in your circles or even someone you don’t know, try to help or ask if they are ok. If they hear this multiple times maybe they will gather the strength to escape. After I realised I am a rape survivor, I understood the Istanbul convention even more and appreciated the existence of the document. However, there is so much more that each of us needs to do to create a safe space for women who are survivors of domestic violence, give them a roof over their heads and also help them recover. And most importantly: Believe victims and survivors Never blame them for anything that happened or is happening to them I hope my chaotic storey can show you that anyone can be a survivor of rape or domestic violence and we can live a normal life and overcome everything. If you would like to talk or share your story with me, feel free to find me. Telegram & Instagram: @elliehadzhieva The post “It’s not you. It’s him!” The real story of the victim of rape. first appeared on Europe on Track.
EUROPE ON TRACK 9 MANIFESTO FOR CREATING SAFER ENVIRONMENTS IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Equality of women and men, as stated in the Istanbul Convention, is a fundamental human right, an essential element of democracy and an imperative of social justice. However, in present-day society, inequalities between women and men persist in the political, economic, social, cultural and educational fields. The team of Europe on Track 9 wants to put a particular emphasis on… Read more → The post EUROPE ON TRACK 9 MANIFESTO FOR CREATING SAFER ENVIRONMENTS IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS first appeared on Europe on Track.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4129" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Schermata-2022-05-15-alle-16.21.08.png" alt="" width="792" height="1134" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Schermata-2022-05-15-alle-16.21.08.png 792w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Schermata-2022-05-15-alle-16.21.08-320x458.png 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Schermata-2022-05-15-alle-16.21.08-768x1100.png 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Schermata-2022-05-15-alle-16.21.08-230x329.png 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Schermata-2022-05-15-alle-16.21.08-350x501.png 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Schermata-2022-05-15-alle-16.21.08-480x687.png 480w" sizes="(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px" /> Equality of women and men, as stated in the Istanbul Convention, is a fundamental human right, an essential element of democracy and an imperative of social justice. However, in present-day society, inequalities between women and men persist in the political, economic, social, cultural and educational fields. The team of Europe on Track 9 wants to put a particular emphasis on the latter and with the present Manifesto, it has worked on some key principles and recommendations directed to educational institutions on how to maximise the impact that an education based on gender equality can have on young people. The first cause of violence against women, which takes many forms, lies in the discrimination that women suffer due to the dominant patriarchal culture. Therefore, there is a need to re-evaluate training and didactic paths by promoting the overcoming of gender stereotypes through education. School is the ideal context in which to intervene to prevent the spread and take the root of sexism and misogynism and provide an alternative model of (gender) education. Educational institutions should offer guidance on the implementation of Article 14 of the Istanbul Convention and train education professionals on how to encourage younger generations to advocate for gender equality and to help them in creating safer spaces in educational and professional environments and promoting non-stereotyped gender roles at all levels of education. From our research, it was clear that young people surveyed shared a lack of knowledge on how to react to this kind of harassment. Many don’t know what actions they could take if confronted with harassment or violence, how to help or support victims and survivors of this, or what organisations are available to help them. From what we gathered, the most recurring issue is lack of education and awareness on gender-based discrimination, harassment and violence on how we can tackle the issue of gender inequality has been through increased awareness and education. These suggested forms of education have been adapting educational environments to be inclusive, understanding and equal, creating and maintaining safe spaces and being active bystanders in cases of gender-based harassment, violence, etc., Increased awareness of the topic of gender equality is a crucial element in challenging normalised inequality and discrimination throughout society. From interactions with young people throughout Europe, the general consensus has been that there is a lack of public awareness of the types of inequalities faced by people due to their gender. Read the manifesto here! The post EUROPE ON TRACK 9 MANIFESTO FOR CREATING SAFER ENVIRONMENTS IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS first appeared on Europe on Track.
Turkey breaking away from the Istanbul Convent
It’s been almost 11 years. It was 11 May 2011 when in Istanbul, Turkey, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence was signed by 45 countries. Eighty-one articles affirming a simple but revolutionary principle (then and still today): violence against women is a violation of human rights. The convention was approved in… Read more → The post Turkey breaking away from the Istanbul Convent first appeared on Europe on Track.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4126" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-960x665.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="665" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-960x665.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-320x222.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-768x532.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-830x575.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-230x159.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-350x242.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-480x332.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> It’s been almost 11 years. It was 11 May 2011 when in Istanbul, Turkey, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence was signed by 45 countries. Eighty-one articles affirming a simple but revolutionary principle (then and still today): violence against women is a violation of human rights. The convention was approved in constant dialogue with local feminist associations and is aimed at making a definitive change, providing the country with a fundamental tool for achieving real gender equality. Over the last decade, however, the same government has been characterised by a series of conservative measures, utterances and battles over motherhood and family that have limited the rights won by women and have exacerbated inequalities. The decline in Erdogan’s support has prompted him to wink at the more orthodox electorate and the most fundamentalist lobbies are gaining more and more attention from political institutions only seven years later Turkey withdrew from the Convention in which so many women and NGOs put their hope in. With a decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 2021, Turkey revoked its participation in the Istanbul Convention on the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, after being the first country to ratify it in 2012. Turkey’s decision to withdraw was reportedly made without parliamentary debate and without wider consultation with civil society, including women’s groups and women’s rights defenders. Since the Convention became operational in 2014, Turkish conservative groups have opposed its application, believing that it weakened the family, increased divorces and favoured the claims of the LGBT community. President Erdogan’s spokesman Fahrettin Altun argued that the Istanbul Convention’s original intention to promote women’s rights had been “hijacked by a group of people attempting to normalise homosexuality” and that it was incompatible with the values and family members of Turkey. More generally, those who take critical positions argue that the real purpose of the document is not the protection of women, but the dissemination of the so-called “gender ideology”. The treaty, in fact, is one of the first official documents to give a legal definition of “gender”. Furthermore, it must be said that the Convention places acts such as femicide or rape in a specific socio-cultural context and therefore does not consider them isolated crimes, thus highlighting the structural aspects of gender-based violence. This approach, however, is viewed with hostility by conservatives in various parts of Europe, because it would constitute an implicit attack on traditional family values. When Turkey withdrew from the Convention there were a lot of demonstrations organised by women’s rights groups, but also abroad by civil society and on social media that see the urge for such a treaty in Turkey. Even today there are still efforts done to prove that the withdrawal was illegal, which several female lawyers are fighting for, calling themselves women ‘the main opposition in Turkey. The Istanbul prosecutor’s office has recently called for the dissolution of Turkey’s largest feminist movement, formally accusing it of “acting against the law and morality”. Prosecutors have argued that the group acted with the aim of “disintegrating the family structure” under the “pretext of defending women’s rights”. Feminists, on the other hand, spoke of a war on women, illegitimate and unfounded accusations, and of an intimidating attack that is part of the political strategy of repression of dissent carried out by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in view of the presidential elections to be held in 2023. Over the years, the number of femicides has increased. In the absence of official statistics, the independent information network Bianet, considered authoritative, records a number of 339 femicides in 2021, compared to 284 in 2020. The farewell to the Istanbul Convention is just the latest step in a process that is creating a very difficult environment for Turkish women. The government’s crusade against gender equality, the absence of a real plan to combat discrimination and indeed the indirect help that the state offers to the executioners to redeem themselves, is undoubtedly affecting Turkey’s cultural climate. And this is translating into increasingly worrying data, both on the gender violence side and from the point of view of the social inclusion of women. The post Turkey breaking away from the Istanbul Convent first appeared on Europe on Track.
Persisting Inequalities and Ethical Issues in the Fast Fashion Industry
You probably have seen numerous tees and tote bags with slogans to empower women in the stores of fast fashion giants. However, while these designs are looming, they don’t reflect the reality for garment workers, most of whom are women, behind those very same products. Although the industry is dominated by women in its production and consumer circles, the system… Read more → The post Persisting Inequalities and Ethical Issues in the Fast Fashion Industry first appeared on Europe on Track.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4116" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/rio-lecatompessy-cfDURuQKABk-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> You probably have seen numerous tees and tote bags with slogans to empower women in the stores of fast fashion giants. However, while these designs are looming, they don’t reflect the reality for garment workers, most of whom are women, behind those very same products. Although the industry is dominated by women in its production and consumer circles, the system disadvantages them the most and creates a ground for further discrimination. With the growth of consumerism, consumers have become more and more detached from the origin and value of their clothes. And while the fashion industry grows so do disparities and exploitation within its circles. Unsafe working conditions, workplace harassment and underpaid labour are some of the issues women in garment factories face. Impact on Women One of the reasons it disproportionately affects women is due to the systematic exclusion of women from other sectors leaving them with no other option but to take a low paid job in a garment factory. In addition, the numerous hours of unpaid work women are tasked with such as shopping, cooking, childcare, etc. leaves them in a position with less choice. The fast-fashion companies exploit this inequality and offer flexible contracts with conditions that take advantage of women without offering the necessary remuneration. A living wage should be sufficient for workers to be able to afford a decent standard of living including basic needs such as food, housing, healthcare, clothing, education, energy and water as well as some money that can be put aside for unexpected events. Unfortunately, many garment workers receive less than a living wage. Because of the intense working hours and lack of alternatives, women are less likely to organize themselves in unions and demand change leading to the perpetuation of the exploitative system. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4117" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-960x1440.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="1440" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-960x1440.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-320x480.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-830x1245.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-230x345.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-350x525.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/markus-spiske-mz5I5In8zxE-unsplash-480x720.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> The Role of Global Brands Global brands, although not always directly responsible for the conditions in the factories, feed on cheap labour and often care little about the human force behind their garments. Brands are not paying enough to secure a living wage for workers. According to Oxfam, “If brands absorbed the cost of paying living wages within their supply chains, it would cost them less than 1% of the price of a garment”. During the pandemic, the issue aggravated as a lot of orders which were already produced by the workers were cancelled and thus not paid for by big corporations. This led to thousands of families being left without any wages. Vogue magazine looks at the issue from another angle – the inequality within the industry on a consumer and designer and management level. While the majority of consumers are female, the leadership positions in the industry are dominated by men. Vogue estimates that “only 12.5 per cent of clothing companies listed in Fortune 1000 (largest American companies ranked by revenues) had female CEOs”. Although women make up most of the entry-level positions in companies and in factories, there are fewer opportunities for them to climb the ladder just as in most other industries. These numbers show a disparity between consumers and trend-setters and decision-makers within the industry. We can link this issue back to the ethical matters within the production cycle, where the predominantly female workforce is being exploited. Those who hold leadership positions, most of whom are men, within big corporations have the power to avert exploitation and ensure worker rights and by doing so support women in the fashion industry. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4115" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/hannah-morgan-ycVFts5Ma4s-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> Towards an Ethical Fashion Industry However, some movements have started to demand change and expect companies to take responsibility and ensure the safety and fairness of their garment workers. In March 2022 the EU announced a Strategy for Sustainable Textiles which is a step in the right direction but change needs to come on all levels not only top-down. Companies signing safety accords and payment obligations are one way to prevent exploitation and ensure safer conditions. Our role as consumers in this can be to demand that companies do so. Raising awareness about the issue is the first step toward pushing companies to pursue fairer labour conditions for their workers. The more people are aware of those practices the more pressure will there be for companies to focus on improving conditions in their supply chain. Additionally supporting ethical fashion brands sets an example that consumers are becoming more conscious about their choices and with it, companies have to respond to their consumers’ demands. by Radost Lozanova Resources Good on you: https://goodonyou.eco/fast-fashion-factories-trap-women/ Vogue: https://www.vogue.com.au/culture/features/fashion-has-a-gender-problem-so-what-can-we-do-about-it/image-gallery/fe823dbebfa7e5beb621a71d2193c5e8 Oxfam: https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-she-makes/about-the-campaign/ The post Persisting Inequalities and Ethical Issues in the Fast Fashion Industry first appeared on Europe on Track.
The Istanbul convention. What is it, how is it structured, it’s main goals.
The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention, is the treaty of the Council of Europe aimed to fight violence against women and domestic violence. It was signed on May 11, 2011, in Istanbul, Turkey. As of March 2019, it has been signed by 45 countries and the European… Read more → The post The Istanbul convention. What is it, how is it structured, it’s main goals. first appeared on Europe on Track.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4119" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-960x1440.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="1440" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-960x1440.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-320x480.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-830x1245.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-230x345.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-350x525.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/emir-egricesu-b0rU4eJCQoI-unsplash-480x720.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention, is the treaty of the Council of Europe aimed to fight violence against women and domestic violence. It was signed on May 11, 2011, in Istanbul, Turkey. As of March 2019, it has been signed by 45 countries and the European Union. However, during the following years, some countries are still yet to ratify the convention, and in 2021, Turkey became the first and only country to withdraw from the convention, after denouncing it on 20 March 2021. SIGNED AND RATIFIED || ONLY SIGNED || NOT SIGNED || FORMER PARTY || NOT SIGNED According to the official CoE website, The Istanbul Convention is based on the understanding that violence against women is a form of gender-based violence that is committed against women because they are women. It is the obligation of the state to address it fully in all its forms and to take measures to prevent violence against women, protect its victims and prosecute the perpetrators. Failure to do so would make it the responsibility of the state. The convention leaves no doubt: there can be no real equality between women and men if women experience gender-based violence on a large-scale and state agencies and institutions turn a blind eye. Because it is not only women and girls who suffer domestic violence, parties to the convention are encouraged to apply the protective framework it creates to men who are exposed to violence within the family or domestic unit. Nevertheless, it should not be overlooked that the majority of victims of domestic violence are women and that domestic violence against them is part of a wider pattern of discrimination and inequality. KEY TERMS violence against women is a “violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women and shall mean all acts of gender-based violation that result in, or are likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life”, domestic violence: all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur with the family or domestic unit or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim.” gender means “the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men.” gender-based violence against women means “violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately.” THE STRUCTURE The convention contains 81 articles separated into 12 chapters. The structure of the instrument is based on the “four Ps”: Prevention, Protection and support of victims, Prosecution of offenders and Integrated Policies. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4122" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-vyQiV31lq1Q-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> PREVENTION In simple terms, preventing violence against women and domestic violence can save lives and reduce human suffering. Governments that agree to be bound by the Convention will have to do the following: train professionals in close contact with victims; regularly run awareness-raising campaigns; take steps to include issues such as gender equality and non-violent conflict resolution in interpersonal relationships in teaching material; set up treatment programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence and for sex offenders; work closely with NGOs; involve the media and the private sector in eradicating gender stereotypes and promoting mutual respect. Preventing violence against women and domestic violence should not be left to the state alone. In fact, the Convention calls on all members of society, in particular men and boys, to help reach its goal of creating a Europe free from all forms of violence against women and domestic violence. Violence against women is pervasive because misogynistic attitudes towards women persist. Each and every one of us can help challenge gender stereotypes, harmful traditional practices and discrimination against women. It is only by achieving real gender equality that violence against women can be prevented. PROTECTION When preventive measures have failed and violent incidents have happened, it is important to provide victims and witnesses with protection and support. This means police intervention and protection as well as specialised support services such as shelters, telephone hotlines etc. It also means making sure that general social services understand the realities and concerns of victims of domestic violence and violence against women and support them accordingly in their quest to rebuild/resume their lives. Some examples of measures set forth in the Convention include: Granting the police the power to remove a perpetrator of domestic violence from his or her home: In situations of immediate danger, the police need to be able to guarantee the safety of the victim. In many instances, this may mean ordering the perpetrator for a specified period of time to leave the family home and to stay away from the victim. Ensuring access to adequate information: After experiencing violence, victims are usually traumatised and need easy access to clear and concise information on available services, in a language they understand. Setting up easily accessible shelters in sufficient numbers and in an adequate geographical distribution: Victims come from a wide range of social realities. For instance, women from rural areas or disabled women need to have access to shelters as much as women from big cities. Making available state-wide 24/7 telephone helplines free of charge: Specialised helplines for victims of violence against women and domestic violence can direct the victims to the services they need. They are essential in offering immediate expert advice and pointing victims towards safety. Setting-up easily accessible rape crisis or sexual violence referral centres: These centres provide immediate medical counselling, trauma care and forensic services and are extremely rare across Europe. It is important to make these services more widely available. It should be borne in mind that it is not enough to set up protection structures and support services for victims. It is equally important to make sure victims are informed of their rights and know where and how to get help. PROSECUTION The convention defines and criminalises the various forms of violence against women as well as domestic violence. This is one of the many achievements of the convention. To give effect to the convention, state parties will have to introduce a number of new offences where they do not exist. These may include: psychological and physical violence, sexual violence and rape, stalking, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, forced abortion and forced sterilisation. In addition, state parties will need to ensure that culture, tradition or so-called “honour” are not regarded as a justification for any of the above-listed courses of conduct. Once these new offences have found their way into the national legal systems, there is no reason not to prosecute offenders. On the contrary, state parties will have to take a range of measures to ensure the effective investigation of any allegation of violence against women and domestic violence. This means that the law enforcement agencies will have to respond to calls for help, collect evidence and assess the risk of further violence to adequately protect the victim. Furthermore, state parties will have to carry out judicial proceedings in a manner that respects the rights of victims at all stages of the proceedings and that avoids secondary victimisation. INTEGRATED POLICIES The convention is based on the premise that no single agency or institution can deal with violence against women and domestic violence alone. An effective response to such violence requires concerted action by many different actors. The convention, therefore, asks state parties to implement comprehensive and coordinated policies involving government agencies, NGOs as well as national, regional and local parliaments and authorities. The aim is that policies to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence are carried out at all levels of government and by all relevant agencies and institutions. This can, for example, be done by drawing up a national plan of action that assigns each agency a particular role to take on or a task to fulfil. The experience from countries where this is already being done shows that results are improved when law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, NGOs, child protection agencies and other relevant partners join forces on a particular case. In addition to addressing governments and non-governmental organisations, national parliaments and local authorities, the convention sends a clear message to society as a whole. Every man, every woman, every boy and girl, every parent, every boy/girl-friend must learn that violence – any kind of violence – is not the right way to solve difficulties and live a peaceful life. Everybody must understand that now and in the future violence against women and the domestic is no longer tolerated. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-4121" src="http://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-960x640.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-960x640.jpg 960w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-320x213.jpg 320w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-830x553.jpg 830w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-230x153.jpg 230w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.europeontrack.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/duncan-shaffer-loPrMMXpIIA-unsplash-480x320.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /> MONITORING The Istanbul Convention sets up a monitoring mechanism to assess how its provisions are put into practice and to provide guidance to state parties. This monitoring mechanism consists of two distinct, but interacting bodies: an independent expert body, the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), which is composed of 15 members. GREVIO draws up and publishes reports evaluating legislative and other measures taken by states parties to give effect to the provisions of the Convention; a political body, the Committee of the Parties, which is composed of representatives of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention. On the basis of GREVIO’s reports, the Committee adopts recommendations concerning the measures to be taken to implement the findings contained in GREVIO’s report. It also supervises the implementation of its own recommendations. The post The Istanbul convention. What is it, how is it structured, it’s main goals. first appeared on Europe on Track.