Über die Situation alleinerziehender Mütter

Straßburg, 25. Oktober 2011

Nachdem alleinerziehende Mütter als Gruppe zunehmend an Bedeutung gewinnen, sie stellen insgesamt etwa 5 % der weiblichen europäischen Bevölkerung, und sich immer mehr Frauen entscheiden, trotz Vorurteile in der Gesellschaft, als Mutter alleinstehend zu bleiben, war es an der Zeit, die Lebenssituation dieser Gruppe eingehend zu beleuchten.

Obwohl sich die finanzielle und soziale familiäre Situation von Ein-Eltern-Familien sehr unterschiedlich darstellt, ist nicht von der Hand zu weisen, dass das Armutsrisiko von alleinerziehenden Müttern entsprechend höher ist und eine nicht unbeträchtliche Anzahl von ihnen zu einem Leben unter prekären Bedingungen gezwungen ist.

Da der Großteil (69 %) der alleinerziehenden Mütter erwerbstätig ist, muss das Augenmerk zur Verbesserung der Lebensbedingungen auf die Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Privatleben gerichtet werden, wobei die Bemühungen auf die Stärkung der Eigenständigkeit und Unabhängigkeit alleinerziehender Mütter gerichtet sein sollen.

"European Platform against poverty and social exclusion"

Brussels, August 31.2011

During yesterday's votes on the opinion of the draft report on the "European platform against poverty and social exclusion", two of my amendments were included into the final version of the opinion for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

Firstly, with regard to the call for special attention to be given to the relationships between parents and children through programmes containing distinct measures tailored especially to national requirements, seeking to provide maximum and optimum assistance for parents or guardians in the fulfilment of their parental duties in order to prevent children being placed in social care as a result of severe poverty.

Secondly, in recital A, which states that such severe poverty is a serious threat against human dignity, an explicit reference to the children was incorporated.

2012 Draft Budget - The Gender Aspect

Brussels, August 31.2011

In the first meeting after the summer, the FEMM-Committee voted on the Committee's budgetary amendments.

Particular attention was devoted to the Progress and Daphne Programme, in order to ensure that adequate funding is being made available. The EU-Programme to combat all forms of violence, especially of a physical, sexual and psychological nature, against children, young people and women (Daphne) supports, through a network of non-governmental and voluntary organisations, meanwhile established on the European level, the implementation of innovative pilot projects as well as the exchange of experience and expertise. The employment and social solidarity programme (Progress) started in 2007, in cooperation with the European Social Fund, in order to implement measures of the EU social policy efficiently. The programme implies concrete employment measures, actions against discrimination and to fight against social exclusion as well as to promote equality between men and women. The decreased level of funds as proposed by the Commission might risk the continuing work of the Programme itself, as admitted by the Commission's representative in the meeting. Regarding both items therefore the FEMM-Committee voted for amendments in order to restore the commitment levels to that of 2011.

Those amendments will be forwarded to the Budget-Committee.

Joint workshop

Brussels, June 20. 2011

Today a joint workshop of the Committee of Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) in association with DMAG, the Committee on Development (DEVE) and sub Committee on Human Rights on "The role of women in the democratisation process and governance changes in North Africa and the Middle East societies" was held in the European Parliament in Brussels.

A broad panel of experts gave insight in the situation of various countries now experiencing the so called "Arab Spring". Successful business women from affected countries such as Sana Ben Achour, Chair of the "Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates" (ATFD), an autonomous activist women's organization dedicated to the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women gave insight into their work and the situation of women in her home country.
http://femmesdemocrates.org/ 

Data from a recent survey on women entrepreneurship was presented by Nadereh Chamlou, Senior Advisor at the World Bank's Middle East and North Africa Region of Knowledge and Economic and Sector Work.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21589991~pagePK:64257043~piPK:437376~theSitePK:4607,00.html 

Outi Karkkainnen, Administrator in the Unit Maghreb and Mashrek European Training Foundation (ETF), presented some highly interesting facts and fogures on the access and participation of young women, aged 15 - 29 in education, training and employment.
http://www.etf.europa.eu/web.nsf/pages/Women_and_Arab_spring_ETF_speaks_at_the_European_Parliament_EN

For a map illustrating the actual situation of each country affected by the "Arab Spring" including a brief description please click on the following link:
http://www.faz.net/s/Rub87AD10DD0AE246EF840F23C9CBCBED2C/Doc~E6133CB15FF994801B7A40623A4C36524~ATpl~Ecommon~SMed.html