university women of europe

Equality now, or…? / L’égalité maintenant, ou…?

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Equality now, or?
Collective complaints have been lodged against the fifteen Member States of the Council of Europe which accept them by the European Group of University Women, GEFDU / University Women of Europe, UWE, on the initiative of Anne Nègre, barrister, Bar of Versailles, France, for violation of the European Social Charter regarding equal pay for equal work between women and men. This is a historic first!
Reminder of the European procedure:
GEFDU / UWE at the initiative of Anne Nègre, voted unanimously in a general assembly in Utrecht, the Netherlands, to obtain as International Non Governmental Organization the qualification by the Council of Europe to file collective complaints for violation of the European Social Charter, 1961 Treaty of the Council of Europe. Which is possible since 1995. Which has never been done against 15 States and on such a violation. Anne Nègre obtained the required qualification of the GEFDU / UWE by the Council of Europe and launched the fifteen collective complaints on behalf of the GEFDU / UWE in August, 2016.
Document collective complaints:
After a long period of research, documentation, etc., she filed collective complaints against the 15 Member States of the Council of Europe accepting them, as barrister of the GEFDU / UWE, on August 24th, 2016: Belgium, Bulgaria , Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, and Norway the only country not also in the European Union.
These complaints concern the violation concerning equal pay for equal, similar or comparable work between women and men of the European Social Charter.
The reply of the majority of States: denial
Various states have agreed to challenge the admissibility of the GEFDU / UWE, considering that this INGO, which has been accredited for many years before by the Council of Europe, does not have the qualifications required to file collective complaints. Associations of more than 90 years for some of them constitute GEFDU / UWE. They have been in all the struggles for the emancipation of women, but they shouldn’t be competent? We are waiting for the position of the European Committee of Social Rights, which must decide on the admissibility of GEFDU / UWE. What do these Member States fear? If GEFDU / UWE is declared admissible, the next step will be on the merits . None of those countries are respecting equal pay for equal job. They could be condemned, they should be condemned.
Equal pay is therefore far from being a reality in Europe … It is urgent to act, to mobilize for equality to progress.
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L’égalité maintenant, ou ?
Des réclamations collectives ont été déposées contre les quinze États Membres du Conseil de l’Europe qui les acceptent par le Groupe Européen des Femmes Diplômées des Universités, GEFDU / University Women of Europe, UWE, à l’initiative d’Anne Nègre, avocate au barreau de Versailles, France , pour violation de la Charte Sociale Européenne en matière de salaire égal pour un travail égal entre les femmes et les hommes. C’est une première historique!
Rappel de la procédure européenne :
GEFDU/UWE à l’initiative d’Anne Nègre, a voté à l’unanimité en assemblée générale à Utrecht, Pays Bas, de devenir une Organisation Internationale Non Gouvernementale habilitée par le Conseil d’Europe à déposer des réclamations collectives pour violation de la Charte Sociale Européenne, Traité de 1961 du Conseil de l’Europe. Et à déposer des réclamations collectives, possibles depuis 1995, ce qui n’a jamais été fait contre tous les Etats et sur une telle violation. Anne Nègre a obtenu la qualification requise du GEFDU/UWE par le Conseil de l’Europe et a lancé les quinze réclamations collectives au nom du GEFDU/UWE.
Documenter les réclamations collectives :
Ensuite après un long travail de recherches, de documentations, etc., elle a déposé comme avocate du GEFDU/UWE, le 24 aout 2016, des réclamations collectives contre les 15 Etats Membres du Conseil de l’Europe qui les acceptent : Belgique, Bulgarie, Croatie, Chypre, France, Grèce, Irlande, Italie, Pays Bas, Portugal, République Tchèque, Slovénie, Suède, et la Norvège le seul pays qui ne soit pas également dans l’Union Européenne.
Ces réclamations portent sur la violation des dispositions concernant le salaire égal pour un travail égal, semblable ou comparable entre les femmes et les hommes de la Charte Sociale Européenne.
La réponse de la majorité des Etats :le déni
Divers Etats se sont concertés pour contester la recevabilité du GEFDU/UWE, estimant que cette OING accréditée depuis de longues années auprès du Conseil de l’Europe, n’a pas la qualification requise pour déposer des réclamations collectives. Des associations de plus de 90 ans pour certaines constituent le groupement GEFDU/UWE. Elles ont été de tous les combats de l’émancipation des femmes, mais ne seraient pas compétentes… On attend la position du Comité Européen des Droits sociaux qui doit décider de la recevabilité de GEFDU/UWE. Que craignent ces Etats ? Si GEFDU/UWE est déclarée recevable que sur le fond ils soient condamnés pour non respect de l’égalité salariale entre les femmes et les hommes pour un travail égal ?
L’égalité des salaires est donc loin d’être une réalité en Europe… Il est urgent d’agir, de se mobiliser pour que l’égalité progresse..
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Invitation to the UWE Conference 2017 in Graz, Austria 24-27 August

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invitation-to-uwe-2017-graz

We are pleased to invite you to the next Annual General Meeting of the University Women of Europe in Graz. As usual, the AGM will be combined with a two-day conference. This year, the conference theme is: “Changing Cultures”. The large number of refugees from Islamic countries present a challenge for Europe and are sometimes perceived as a threat to women. Our focus will be on the issues and chances arising from the current situation of refugees in Europe.

What does this process of migration mean for the women fleeing their home countries, but also, what does it mean for the women in the countries accepting refugees? How does the social climate change? How do the traditional and arriving cultures interact with each other? What impact does all this have on women?

We will try to find ideas on how to deal with encountering different cultures and different values, while also being concerned with equal rights and respect for women. In addition to this, we will investigate possible ways in which refugee women can become part of the European society. 

We are looking forward to meeting you, exchanging ideas and continuing to be engaged in the work towards an improvement of women’s lives in Europe and all over the world.

The conference is open to all members of the University Women of Europe and their friends.

WELCOME TO GRAZ

The Austrian Federation of University Women (VAÖ) is happy to host the UWE Annual General Meeting 2017 in Graz. The city of Graz is located in southern Austria and is known for its Mediterranean atmosphere and relaxed life style. With about 300.000 inhabitants and over 50.000 students, it is a very lively city with lots of interesting things to do and to see. The conference will take place in the city’s historic center, a UNESCO world cultural heritage. You will find magnificent Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture as well as romantic inner courtyards and hidden alleys all over the city. There are numerous museums, churches, theaters and an opera house, countless cafés and restaurants.

TRANSPORTATION

Graz can be reached easily by various means of transport: The city has an international airport with several daily flights to Vienna and many other large European transport hubs. If you fly to Vienna, you can take a direct bus (from the airport or the city center) to the center of Graz (www.flixbus.at) or use the national railway service (www.oebb.at). Within the city, the public transport system is well-structured with trams and busses – a three day ticket can be purchased online for 12 € prior to your arrival (https://ticket.holding-graz.at).

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

  • Thursday 24 August: Arrival and registration, welcome reception.
  • Friday, 25 August: Welcome notes, keynote speeches and workshops followed by a country evening with traditional Austrian music and food. On this evening we will also celebrate the 95th anniversary of the VAÖ.
  • Saturday 26 August: UWE Annual General Meeting; Gala Dinner in the evening.

A detailed schedule of the conference programme will be available on the UWE website.

WORKSHOPS

We welcome proposals for workshops on the conference theme. If you are interested in leading a workshop, please send us a proposal consisting of a ten-line summary (max. 300 words) about the workshop. Workshops should take no longer than 60 minutes, including a presentation of approximately 20 minutes. Please submit your proposal no later than 30 April 2017 to boarduwe@gmail.com.

CONFERENCE VENUE

The Franciscan monastery in the city center of Graz will serve as our conference location. It is a historic site with beautiful architecture and a long, interesting history. The buildings were recently renovated and were turned into a modern conference center. 

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OPTIONAL TOURS

23 August 2017 (pre-conference tour):

Tour 1 – An afternoon in Vienna

An afternoon in Vienna with a guided city tour through the city’s historic centre. This tour is ideal for participants arriving in Vienna and wishing to explore Austria’s capital before travelling on to Graz. (Approx. 20 €) You can either spend the night in Vienna or go to Graz by train or bus the same evening.

27 August (post-conference tours):

Tour 2 – Graz city tour

Guided city walking tour of Graz, showing beautiful hidden treasures and historical highlights of the city. Duration: approximately 2 hours. (11 €)

Tour 3 – Western Styria

A bus tour to the western part of Styria, visiting the Lipizzaner stud (the white Lipizzaner horses bred there perform in the renowned Spanish Riding School in Vienna) and a church designed by the celebrated Austrian artist F. Hundertwasser. Lunch will be provided. Duration: approximately 6 hours. (Approx. 70 €)

Tour 4 – Wine Country

A bus tour of the wine country in the southern part of Styria, often referred to as “Austrian Tuscany”. This tour includes a traditional Styrian lunch (“Brettljause”) at a typical local restaurant and a wine tasting. Duration: approximately 6 hours. (Approx. 70 €)

ACCOMMODATION

Hotel Weitzer: www.hotelweitzer.com, just across the bridge (200 m) from the conference location.

Double/single room: 80 € per night (+15 € for optional breakfast)

Reservations: hotel@weitzer.com

Hotel Daniel: www.hoteldaniel.com, next to the main train station, 10 minutes by tram from the conference location.

Double/single room: 69 € per night (+ 15€ for optional breakfast)

Reservations: hellograz@daniel.com

When making a reservation in one of the hotels, please use the following code:

UWE Conference 2017

For people who need barrier-free access, there are some single rooms (35 € per person, no breakfast) available in the monastery/conference location. There will also be a limited number of single rooms available in the VAÖ dorm (20 € per person, incl. light breakfast), located approximately 20 minutes from the city centre by tram. If you are interested in staying at one of these two accommodations, please write to club@graz-vaoe.at as soon as possible.

CONFERENCE FEE

The conference fee includes conference registration and documents, all lunches, coffee/tea and the Austrian evening (95th Anniversary of VAÖ). Registration deadline: June 30.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

FULL CONFERENCE

FRIDAY 25 August

SATURDAY 26 August

Members

Early bird fee

20 May 2017

185 €

Regular fee

30 June 2017

210 €

150 €

100 €

Young member fee

30 June 2017

170 €

Gala dinner

45 €

Non-members

Early bird fee

30 April 2017

210 €

Regular fee

30 June 2017

240 €

Gala dinner

55 €

Click here to register online your participation!

Please pay your fees to the following Austrian bank account:

Verband der Akademikerinnen Österreichs
BIC: STSPAT2GXXX
IBAN: AT41 2081 5020 0010 1374

For any additional inquiries about the conference, please contact VAÖ: club@graz-vaoe.at and use the subject line: UWE CONFERENCE 2017

 

 

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Invitation to Theatrical Benefit Performance

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“HYPATIA. THE LAST NIGHT”

with the actress Esmeralda Calcullo

HYPATIA

The University of Catania and University Women of Europe

along with Fildis Siracusa, AIRC and ANDOS

presents

a theatrical benefit performance

dedicated to “HYPATIA”

one of the last great thinkers of antiquity

and one of the first women to study and teach mathematics, astronomy and philosophy.

… an icon for women in education and scientific thought as well as a icon on Violence Against Women and Human Rights.

MAY the 13rd, 2016 at 5 p.m.

Auditorium Hall ‘De Carlo’, University of Catania,

Benedectine Monastery, Catania, Italy

Welcome speakers

Prof. Giancarlo Magnano San Lio,

Head of Department of Human Science, University of Catania

Prof.ssa Katerina Papatheu,

docente di Lingua e Civiltà della Grecia moderna e contemporanea (Università di Catania)

Prof.ssa Elena Flavia Castagnino Berlinghieri,

Archaeologist, Vice-President University Women of Europe (UWE)

Prof.ssa Maria Vittoria Fagotto Berlinghieri,

President FILDIS Siracusa

Dott.ssa Francesca Catalano,

President ANDOS (National Association taking care of women with breast operation)

Prof. Riccardo Vigneri,

President AIRC (Italian Association for Cancer Research) Comitato Sicilia

Dott.ssa Nella Giallongo Coffa,

Consigliera AIRC Italian Association for Cancer Research) Comitato Sicilia

THE  PROCEEDS OF VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE DONATED TO CHARITY TO SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH AND BREAST DISEASES AIRC AND ANDOS

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