Digital platforms have often been celebrated for allowing equal opportunities for public self-expression, regardless of one’s identity and status. Yet, not everyone is welcome in the cyberspace. The digital arena has become a breeding ground for a range of exclusionary and violent discourses and beliefs, expressed and disseminated in a context of anonymity and impunity. Both women and men can be victims of cyber violence.
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) broadly defines femicide as ‘the killing of a woman or girl because of her gender’. EIGE recognises the various forms of femicide committed against women and girls as ‘the most severe manifestation of gender-based violence’. Various terms are used by the European Union (EU) and international institutions to refer to femicide. As the definitions used to describe acts of femicide are either lacking or inconsistent across the EU, methods for researching the prevalence of femicide vary, as does the administrative capacity of Member States to collect this data.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a severe form of gender-based violence, that violates the human rights of women and girls. The practice entails “all procedures that involve the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons". Globally, over 200 million women and girls in 31 countries have been subjected to FGM.
Gender equality is a fundamental value and a key goal of the European Union (EU). The elimination of inequalities between women and men is essential for the creation of a stronger, fairer and more inclusive Europe. The EU and Member States’ policies recognise gender equality as a backbone of economic and social well-being and a prerequisite for more inclusive societies.
The EU and its Member States have made considerable progress towards the development and implementation of gender equality policies. However, many challenges still hinder the concrete realisation of gender equality in the EU. Over the past years, a rise of highly coordinated, well-funded organised ‘anti-gender movements’ has equally threatened the achievement of gender equality goals and stood in the way of tackling these challenges.
The Gender Equality Index is a tool to measure the progress of gender equality in the EU, developed by EIGE. It gives more visibility to areas that need improvement and ultimately supports policy makers to design more effective gender equality measures. The Gender Equality Index has tracked the painfully slow progress of gender equality in the EU since 2010, mostly due to advances in decision-making.
Addendum notice The deadline to submit interest and respond for this call for tenders is extended to 23 November 2022 EOB. Description of the contract The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) envisages awarding a low-value contract for developing a tool on Gender Equality Action Plans for Parliaments as part of EIGE’s Gender Mainstreaming platform. Description of the requested services Ahead of the 2024 European Elections and with the aim to support efforts to promote gender equality in decision-making and politics, EIGE launches this call for tender to contract a professional service provider that will develop a practical tool on gender equality action plans for parliaments.
Digital platforms have often been celebrated for allowing equal opportunities for public self-expression, regardless of one’s identity and status. Yet, not everyone is welcome in the cyberspace. The digital arena has become a breeding ground for a range of exclusionary and violent discourses and beliefs, expressed and disseminated in a context of anonymity and impunity. Both women and men can be victims of cyber violence.
