Rumours that the European Commission may have extended an invitation to Taliban representatives have triggered a fierce reaction from women’s rights organisations, though no invitation has been officially confirmed. The European Women’s Lobby, Europe’s largest umbrella organisation for women’s rights, issued a blistering open letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, warning that even…
The United Nations’ launch of a US$529 million response plan for the 2.7 million Afghans expected to return from Iran and Pakistan this year marks one of the most significant humanitarian and demographic interventions in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The European Parliament’s latest intervention on Europe’s care systems signals a growing political consensus: the gender care gap is no longer a social‑policy footnote but a structural fault line shaping Europe’s economic future. By adopting a report that frames access to quality care as a fundamental right, MEPs are pushing the Commission and member states…
Frank Schellings, OA RHB, writes for the EU Political Report. In May 2026, Pride celebrated its 30th anniversary. What once started as an activist march for equal rights has grown into one of the most important LGBTQIA+ events in Belgium and Europe. Under the powerful theme “When Times Get Darker, We Shine Brighter”, this anniversary…
The European Women’s Lobby congratulates MEPs and urges the Commission to act now on EU-wide consent-based rape legislation. Mary Collins, EWL Secretary General, writes for EU Political Report. The European Parliament’s vote on 28 April sends a clear and long-overdue signal: the European Union must move beyond outdated, force-based definitions of rape and establish a…
© Photo by Isra Nilgün Özkan on Pexels The war in Palestine has become a defining test of Europe’s credibility on human rights, as reports of large‑scale civilian suffering collide with an EU response widely criticised as slow, cautious and internally divided. The conflict in Gaza has produced some of the most severe human rights…
This article is republished with permission from HRWF (Human Rights Without Frontiers). By Ulviyya Asadzade, RFE/RL journalist RFE/ RL (21.12.2026) – Armenia is facing its gravest church-state clash since gaining independence, as tensions continue to grow between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The dispute has…
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash A matter of months ago, an event at the Conduit Club in London examined whether the conflict in Sudan had been forgotten. With great passion, panellists reminded the audience that the conflict certainly had not been forgotten by the civilians suffering through it. But they conceded that it was…
Photo by Yusuf Yassir on Unsplash There is no denying that peace cannot come soon enough to the suffering Sudanese people. They have paid a huge price in the civil war that has raged across their country since 2023. But the question now is: What price will they pay for peace? Is any price payable?…
The European Women’s International Leadership Award (EWILA) 7th edition ceremony took place on November 3, marking a significant moment in the recognition of women leaders worldwide. This year, eight laureates were honoured, representing diverse geographical areas and sectors. They are: Najla Alshami (Yemen/Belgium), Khadija Bendam (Morocco), Violeta Bulc (Slovenia), Nasancia Charles (Jamaica/USA), Klaudia Fliegelova (Slovakia/Italy), Rahwa…
