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Nobel Peace Prize winner 2003 Shirin Ebadi speaks at meeting in Brussels

Brussels, 05/03/09: At a meeting organised by the Security and Defence Agenda (SDA) and the Friends of Europe in Brussels on the 4th of March Ms Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner, clearly spoke out against sending military troupes to Iran or enforcing economic sanctions to force the government to improve the country’s situation on human rights.

Click here to read EEPAs report from the meeting

European Commission strategy for Eritrea causes concern

Brussels, 19/02/09: The European Commission plans to provide aid to Eritrea despite political and practical concerns. These concerns have long been expressed by both Eritrean diaspora and civil society organisations since continuing to provide aid might give the wrong political signal to the country's authoritarian government, or even contribute to the its survival. The European Commission has so far seen engagement with the Eritrean authorities as the best way to improve the situation. The European Parliament has been more critical and issued a resolution on the Horn of Africa in January in which it asked the EU to reconsider its approach to Eritrea unless progress is made. The approval of the European Commission’s country strategy and budget for Eritrea is scheduled for this spring and provides a good opportunity for a European re-engagement in human rights in Eritrea.

Click here to read an article in New Europe and share your comments!

Click here to read an article in the European Voice and share your comments!

Click here to read the editorial from from Awate.com

Roundtable on youth and HIV/AIDS organised by the Virus Free Generation campaign

Brussels, 04/03/09: On 17 February the Virus Free Generation Campaign organised a Roundtable on "The don't want HIV generation - Promises and commitments: can youth expect universal access to prevention in 2010?" The Roundtable focused on policies, strategies and implementation at EU level: what have been done so far and what can and should be done in the near future in order for universal access to prevention by 2010 and MDG 6 to be achieved, particularly for young people.

Click here to read the full report from the Roundtable.

Council conclusions on Zimbabwe

Brussels, 04/02/09: At the GAERC meeting of Development ministers last week, the Council adopted conclusions condemning the regime in Zimbabwe for its failure to address the economic and social needs of its people, and expressing distress at the escalation of the humanitarian crisis there. It called on the Southern African Development Community, the African Union and states in the region to work for a durable and equitable political solution in Zimbabwe, involving a truly representative democratic government.

The Council decided to extend the EU's restrictive measures against Zimbabwe for another year, adding further names to the list of persons and entities that are subject to those measures.

Click here to read the GAERC conclusions

Obama lifts global gag rule on family-planning funding

Obama Brussels, 26/01/09: A decision hailed by most but deplored by right-wing anti abortion groups, the U.S. President Barack Obama Friday announced the lift of an eight-year ban on U.S. funding for overseas family-planning groups and clinics that perform or promote abortion or lobby for its legalisation. Critics called the ban "the global gag rule" because of its restrictions on the right of groups receiving U.S. family-planning assistance to participate in public debate on abortion in their home countries. According to many health organisations, this signals a new era in U.S. leadership supporting health, safety and rights of women across the world.

Click here to read an IPS article on the decision.

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