27 February 2023
Dear all,
A few weeks ago, we celebrated Safer Internet Day with a webinar to discuss interventions to support children and youth in the digital environment, and we also hosted a Communications capacity-building webinar on diverse participation in the 2024 EU elections. Last but not least, our President Annemie Drieskens spoke at the European Parliament on the importance of women's participation in the job market and women's leadership. Gender equality and equal opportunities are core values of COFACE and are a constant in our advocacy.
Scroll on to find out more and catch up on news affecting families in Europe.
Happy reading!
Bettina
Communication Officer
COFACE Families Europe
|
|
Taking action to achieve Gender Equality: COFACE's President speaks at the European Parliament
4 minutes reading
Gender equality and equal opportunities are core values of COFACE: constant in our advocacy, not just regarding specific family and gender equality policies but mainstreamed in all policies, across our work areas. Our president Annemie Drieskens delivered the following speech at the European Parliament on the importance of women's participation in the job market and women's leadership. [...]
|
|
Eurofound reports that minimum wage hikes struggle to offset inflation
2 minutes reading
As the EU economy advanced its recovery following the pandemic, the high rate of inflation throughout 2022 meant that wage setting actors made their decisions under a cloud of uncertainty. While nominal increases in statutory minimum wages reached an all-time high, minimum wage workers in most countries saw their purchasing power decline or just about compensated at the beginning of 2023. [...]
|
|
Study shows parental leave has benefits for mental health
2 minutes reading
Becoming a parent can be very joyful, but it can also be stressful. A study by Stockholm University shows that mental health disorders during the post-natal period are common morbidity, but parental leave might help alleviate symptoms by preventing or reducing stress. [...]
|
|
Social protection for people with disabilities in Europe: The European Social Policy Network analysis of policies in 35 countries
2 minutes reading
At the request of the European Commission, ESPN analysed policies in 35 countries: the 27 EU Member States, the UK and 7 (potential) candidate countries. The aim is to contribute to a better understanding of the access of people with disabilities to social protection support, by describing and analysing the provision of disability-specific income support and of selected support services for people with disabilities. [...]
|
|
New digital citizenship resources published by WhoCares? Scotland, including a children's storybook on digital rights
2 minutes reading
The Scottish-based organisation Who Cares? ran a year-long digital wellbeing project bringing together four of their members to explore and develop resources on digital wellbeing. From their findings, Who Cares? created a toolkit of resources that includes a report, podcast, reflective videos, blogs, a relationship mapping tool, and a storybook about rights. [...]
|
|
Gezinsbond says New Barcelona targets challenge childcare facilities in Flanders, Belgium
2 minutes reading
The European Union approved the new Barcelona targets for early childhood education and care. The Gezinsbond, a COFACE member organisation, agrees with the focus now also being on accessibility and quality of care. To achieve the goals, however, there is still much to be done and the Gezinsbond will continue to monitor the process closely. [...]
|
|
Promoting Dialogue for Inclusion: Fundação LIGA’s Podcast “Inclusivamente”
1-minute reading
COFACE Disability member organisation, Fundação LIGA, is making strides in promoting open dialogue about diversity and inclusion in society with their bi-monthly podcast “Inclusivamente”. The podcast features meaningful conversations with people with disabilities, businesses, and universities. [...]
|
|
OPINION: Who cares? Achieving effective measures to support informal family carers
3-minutes reading
It could be a good brain-teaser to ask what is the occupation of the tens of millions of people in Europe, whose daily work time can span over 24 hours and is not only essential but also life-saving. We could not even say that this type of work is underpaid as it is, in many cases, not paid at all. And although it is not necessarily undervalued, it is clear that this essential work is taken for granted. [...]
|
|
|
|
