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| Women on Boards: Vice-President Viviane Reding and Markus Klimmer, Managing Director at Accenture di |
| Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU's Justice Commissioner, met with Markus Klimmer, Managing Director at Accenture, today to discuss how best to improve gender balance on company boards.
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| NCW congratulates Maltese Women MEPs |
| The National Council of Women welcomes the news that three women have been elected as MEPs, giving women a 50% presence amongst the six Maltese MEPs. |
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| WOMEN: 59 days in 2013 before equal remuneration in Europe |
| Dublin, 01/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - It is only from 28 February this year that women in Europe started to earn the same salary as men. An additional 59 days are therefore needed for women to reduce the pay gap - which this year still stands at 16.2% according to figures published by the European Commission.
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| (AE) WOMEN: Consultation and future action on genital mutilation |
| Brussels, 13/02/2013 (Agence Europe) -European Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Viviane Reding is preparing to launch a public consultation and concrete initiatives to tackle female genital mutilation in March. During the period of the consultation, a conference, organised with other Commissioners, on the fight against violence against women will be held. |
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| AE) WOMEN: Already more women on company boards after quota proposal |
| Brussels, 25/01/2013 (AgenceEurope) - The European Commission believes that its controversial proposal on a quota of women on company boards could be bearing fruit. It notes that in less than a year, twice as many women are now on company boards in Europe, with a significant increase in the large majority of member states. Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Viviane Reding seized the moment to present these encouraging results to the World Economic Forum in Davos on Friday 25 January. |
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| WOMEN: 50/50 declaration for parity in institutions after 2014 |
| Brussels, 22/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - MEPs are now ready to do battle to defend equality in the European institutions after the 2014 elections. A “multi-party” declaration was presented on Wednesday 22 November at the European Parliament during the plenary session. |
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| (AE) WOMEN: Parliamentary pressure to counter domestic violence |
| Brussels, 19/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - Five MEPs are putting pressure on the EU to ratify the international convention to prevent and combat violence against women. Mikael Gustafsson (GUE/NGL, Sweden), Barbara Matera (EPP, Italy), Antonya Parvanova (ALDE, Bulgaria), Raül Romeva (Greens/EFA, Spain) and Britta Thomsen (S&D, Denmark) are urging their colleagues to sign a written declaration in this connection. The declaration calls on the EU to ratify the Council of Europe convention on tackling domestic violence and violence against women. It also urges member states to subsequently take action against this phenomenon. |
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| (AE) WOMEN: Nicosia progresses pay gap debate |
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Brussels, 31/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Cypriot Presidency is pushing the pay gap debate forwards - the difference in pay between men and women still being on average 16% in Europe. At a conference organised in Cyprus on this topic on 29-30 October, the Presidency concluded that the reduction of this pay gap comes through “promoting social dialogue and tripartite cooperation as a way of tackling this problem”.
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| (AE) WOMEN: Reding is snubbed - quotas deferred until mid-November Brussels, 23/10/2012 (Agence Euro |
| The quota of 40% women on bluechip company boards has been postponed, but Viviane Reding is determined not to give up her highly controversial proposal for a directive. She promises that the dossier will be back on the Commission agenda by the end of November, when it will be stronger and more open to subsidiarity. Reding, who is optimistic, said that after a century-long battle her proposal could wait another couple of weeks |
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| (AE) WOMEN: Moment of truth for Reding and corporate quotas |
| Brussels, 22/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - The College of Commissioners may sweep away with one hand the proposal to bring in a 40% quota for women on management boards in European companies quoted on the stock exchange, a proposal that Commissioner Viviane Reding plans to submit on Tuesday. |
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| Women - Reding bases argument on subsidiarity quotas |
| Brussels, 05/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Viviane Reding, the commissioner responsible for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship, has already been able to get into her stride with regard to feminine quotas in large companies - ahead of time and on converted ground. |
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| The EWL has written to the European Commission and Member States |
| The EWL has written to the European Commission and Member States in response to a letter signed by 9 countries against a proposed EU Directive to increase the number of women on boards across Europe. Although well below our expectations, the EWL is giving its full backing to Commissioner Reding’s proposal, and calling on all parties to do the same. |
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| (AE) WOMEN: ECB, letter from Goulard to Juncker on parity |
| Brussels, 18/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - French liberal MEP, Sylvie Goulard, has directly addressed the president of Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, to again draw attention to the question of respecting equal opportunities for women when appointing the sixth member of the European Central Bank board of governors. The economic and financial committee, of which Goulard is a member, effectively suspended the hearing of Yves Mersch for a post on the board of governors, due to the lack of gender balance on the board.
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| (AE) WOMEN: Greens favour quotas and hit back at nine blocking states |
| Brussels, 20/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Greens are hitting back at the intention of nine member states not to support Viviane Reding's awaited proposal on setting a quota of 40% women on the boards of bluechip companies.
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| Women on Boards: Viviane Reding meets with leaders of Europe's business schools and industry |
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On the 19 June, EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding met with European Industry Associations, European Business Schools and Senior Executive Women to discuss progress being made on improving the gender balance in company boardrooms. |
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| The National Council of Women supports the Act to provide protection for human embryos |
| NCW has always advocated for legislation of alternative IVF treatment not least because of the sensitivity and the consequences for both parents and society if it had to remain unregulated. NCW believes that IVF treatment should be for heterosexuals within a stable family environment The Council has always supported the protection of embryos as the first cell of a human life and, with the development of alternative treatment over the past years this has become possible successfully. |
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| WOMEN: Campaign to get more women into scientific careers |
| Brussels, 22/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - Science is also a “girl thing”. That is the message the Commission intends to drive home throughout the EU over the next three years to get more girls interested in science and encourage more women to choose research as a career.
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| Women on Boards: Vice-President Viviane Reding meets with leaders of Europe's business schools and i |
| Today, EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding met with European Industry Associations, European Business Schools and Senior Executive Women to discuss progress being made on improving the gender balance in company boardrooms.
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| UfM adopts new project to support women’s empowerment in the Mediterranean |
| A project aimed at developing women’s empowerment in the Mediterranean through the development of effective field projects and the setting up of networks and platforms, was adopted by Senior Officials of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) at a meeting held last month. |
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| Date: 14/04/2012 |
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NCW Position on Alternatives to IVF Treatment The National Council of Women has been following developments, particularly in the Parliamentary Social Issues Committee, regarding proposals for legislation on IVF treatment. NCW is aware that the general public is not adequately informed of the legal, ethical and scientific implications of Embryo Freezing, due also to the lack of balanced information (often manipulative) in the Media. NCW has been searching for scientific initiatives for pro-life alternatives, that would not be tantamount to destroying life and we are sure that the Council is not the only organisation. With regards to moral objections, although as NCW members we all have our own personal positions, we believe that it is the prerogative of the Church Authorities to explain and instruct on moral implications. Consequently, at its AGM January 2012, the National Council of Women approved a resolution on Oocyte Vitrification (egg preservation) as an alternative to Embryo Freezing, during IVF treatment, giving also background information to sustain its position. It is a fact that fertility declines with age. Women’s fertility peaks when the women are in their early twenties. Statistics today, however, show that many women are postponing their pregnancies until much later due to a number of reasons. This is contributing to many women having problems in conceiving and looking for help later on in life. Oocyte Vitrification (egg preservation) is a method of ‘freezing’ a woman’s eggs as part of the IVF procedure. Cryopreservation is a process which involves a flash-freezing process of eggs (oocytes) without the formation of ice-crystals within the cells. The eggs are extracted, frozen and stored. Later, when the woman is ready to become pregnant, the eggs can be thawed, fertilized, and transferred to the uterus as embryos.This technique can be availed of by women who have certain serious health issues as well as women who make particular life choices.There are a number of justifications on which the Council based its recommendations. Oocyte vitrification has achieved the same pregnancy results as using frozen embryos. Oocyte cryopreservation, avoids having several excess embryos through the selection of the optimal eggs and the insemination of only a few avoiding the ethical problems associated with surplus embryos. Women with fertility problems do not need to be "dangerously" hyper-stimulated several times. Young cancer patients, undergoing chemotherapy that can destroy their eggs, can have a chance to get pregnant later in life by having their eggs cryopreserved. The preservation of the female egg, instead of the embryo, considered to be the first cell of a human being – eliminates legal and ethical problems of ownership. The female gamete (oocyte) belongs to the female, as opposed to the embryo, which belongs to both partners. The ethical, religious and moral issues involved during the process of embryo freezing which no court is comfortable with when deciding on the matter of frozen embryo ownership; are eliminated when oocyte vitrification is opted for. Complex problems due to the negative aspects of embryo freezing of a legal nature result when split couples enter into acrimonious battles over ownership of the embryo. NCW would like to put forward the following considerations as approved at the NCW AGM 2012: a) Working protocol: Good results depend on excellent standards, including the training of embryologists and doctors, and the use of top-quality materials, to select the best oocytes instead of embryos. Any sort of experimental approach should be avoided and local embryologists and doctors must be well trained in the procedures involved. b) Politicians and the general public must be educated on fertility issues. Educational campaigns involving the dissemination of information regarding protection of fertility, and options to treat fertility including oocyte vitrification in the IVF technique are strongly advised. c) The education of citizens on how to use and protect their fertility should also focus on how mothers/guardians should look after their daughter’s fertility from a young age, e.g.: taking them for check-ups, proper methods of personal hygiene, etc. This can be supplemented by educational material to be distributed and discussed during PSD lessons in schools. d) General Practitioners need to be regularly updated on fertility issues including prevention but also regarding pathologies that cause damage to the human reproductive system. NCW calls on the relevant authorities to respect the rights of taxpayers’ moral, legal and ethical objections who will, afterall will be paying for future relevant services and which therefore constitutes an obligation on the part of law makers when decisions are being taken in Parliament Grace Attard NCW Vice-President |
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