Italy is not a country for women

«Still far from satisfactory results in gender equality», according to a study issued by the European Parliament

by Emanuele Bonini

According to the European Gender Equality Index Italy is ranked amongst the countries in the EU with the lowest gender equality, revealed a study from the European Parliament. Italian performance is above the EU average in one area only, namely health, thanks to Italian women’s long life-expectancy. «In any other respect the situation is far from being satisfactory». Policies to re-address the gender unbalance «have been cautious», while progress in the legal framework has been promoted mainly by Directives coming from the EU or by pressures of the civil society. More in general, «Italy lacks of a proper gender infrastructure at central level to promote, coordinate and monitor gender-equality initiatives». According to "The policy on gender equality in Italy" report, the in-depth analysis for the committee on Women’s rights and gender equality, some legislations have been introduced but they are far from a full implementation, and the economic crisis is threatening some of the achievements. Right now the overall supply of care services that are meant to support female employment «is weak and affected by budget cuts». This is particularly true as regards services for the elderly and out-of-school childcare, «since little investments can be expected in this area». Women’s employment and economic independence is jeopardised both by increasing difficulties in reconciling work and family life and by the increasing loss of jobs in the service sector in the second wave of the crisis since 2010. Italy is not a country for women. The overall picture which emerges from the report is that «in many fields Italy is still far from reaching satisfactory results in gender equality, in spite of relevant progress under the pressure of women’s movement, civil society and European legislation». Criticalities are a lot, and the report explain in detail where gender equality is still missing.

bLOGBOOK - Special thought

See you Francesco...

bLOGBOOK - The Laughing Stock, n° 1 year III

 Good evening. Or good night. Or whatever... Anyway, hello folks!
I start feeling a light sore throat. Nothing new, it was only question of time, especially when everybody is sick. But it was not from here I wanted to start. There are a lot of think to talk about and I had to do it starting from my sore throat: what a poor fantasy man am I? Of course not an original one. Is there anything more ordinary than talking about health? Maybe the weather. It's cold here in Brussels. There was some snow, not so many days ago. But why am I writing all that? Oh  yes, I needed to free the brain from thoughts. I still don't feel like writing, communicating, working, going out, meeting people... What do I feel like, then? Good question. I don't know. I don't feel like searching for another job, that's something I know for sure. But the point there are no many alternatives, which means I have no choice. So I had to put again my hands to applications, and it's nothing but the beginning. Last month I was not even able to cover the cost of the rent: Jesus, I need an exit strategy. Ok: health, weather, work. Is all there what I can say? Come on, let's say something about myself. I still have a life after all. Ok, maybe not one of the best, but still a life. Still life. Ah, forget about these stupid word games. I'll spend my Easter holidays in Brussels, but the week before I'm supposed to be in Prague. I clarified I'm supposed to be because they already change the departure time. Let's keep our fingers crossed... Unfortunately I won't join my friend in Bratislava. There were no flights at last, not that kind of connections I need, and by bus it would even worse. No way, I'll miss you guys. I'll have to listen to your reports, and I'm ready to bet would be really funny.

«Still a lot to do in Italy and France»

Manfred Weber is the president of the EPP group in the European Parliament. Here a short interview made during his public chat on Facebook

by Emanuele Bonini (for eunews.it)

Mr Weber, what do you think about Tsipras' proposal of linking Greece debt repayments to its economic growth rate as a feasible solution to bring its sovereign debt under control?
«I think the most important question of all is to respect previous agreements».
Do you think time for Troika is over? Do you believe is time for a different way to deal with crisis and, in case, what could be the alternative to Troika?
«The Troika, the group formed by the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF, is only a tool. The question is if Member States are doing enough to create stability for investors. We need structural reforms and a stable state budget to create good conditions. That is the main question for the future».
You mentioned structural reforms, stable state budget, and creation for stability of investors. Do you believe France and Italy did enough?
«I think that the two member states have still a lot to do. The member States who did the necessary reforms are today economically more successful then the others. And very often the successful countries are governed by the EPP».

Pressmen, chapter 4

When journalists meet Italy

«Why don't you write in English»? The question mark is about a media having journalists in Brussels without producing any new in any "conventional" language spoken abroad. Well, when the press world act in Brussels in order to cover the EU institutions, could it be possible acting only on the own proper language? If we are talking about the Italian section of the press world the answer will be affirmative. «Why don't you write in English?» it would just one of the first reactions from the audience when Italy meets journalism. A lot has been said about journalism, and not just a few words have been spent for the magic of the senselessland. But there is no end to intelligence. Of course writing and working in a language different from the own one is not something easy; of course having translators is a cost, sometimes not sustainable for all; of course the main audience for every media is the national one. But despite all that, working in the heart of Europe and not investing in Europe is something difficult to explain to external people.
«You are based in Brussels»
«Yes»
«And you write about the European institutions»
«Yes»
«And you have no an English section??»
«Ehm... No»
«Why?»
Eh. This is the typical conversation you could experience abroad, and "why" is terribly a very good question, since it is not an easy one to deal with. Journalists are not the ones responsible for the policy media, thus "why" is something to be left to directors. But it would be useless.

Intelligence lessons made in Belgium

A questionable banner from Standard Liege supporters triggers controversy

by Emanuele Bonini

What's wrong with the human being? We are supposed to have intelligence, and intelligence is supposed to be what makes man different from all the other living species. Unfortunately it seems humanity got its pick of evolution, starting to come back straight forward to the origins and soccer proves that. Please, folks, remember it's soccer after all. On the contrary, soccer is always lived in the wrong formula: hate, riots, violence. So it happened in Liege a very large number of people had the brilliant idea of preparing a big banner against a former player. It doesn't matter who he is, since it's the message to be the real problem: Jason Voorhees (do you remember the Friday the 13th saga?) holding the tailed head of the football player, considered a traitor after having moved from Standard Liege to Anderlecht. "Red or dead", think (think?) Standard supporters, forgetting football players - like every worker and like every professional - can change workplace, since it is their own right. Despite that, the decision taken by some people in Liege is not the appropriate at all and in Belgium controversy triggered immediately after the match. Since when soccer is a death game? No way, something is wrong with the human being. What about intelligence? Today, perhaps, this word only means "secret services". Just for general information, Anderlecht was beaten 2-0 in Liege. But the impression is real winner was stupidity.

«It's time to replace Troika», said Moscovici

The European commissioner for Economic affairs things to a new body, «more responsible and more democratic». Strong opposition by Germany: «Impossible without a treaty change»

Pierre Moscovivi

by Emanuele Bonini

Time for Troika is over, said the European commissioner for Monetary affairs on Tuesday. The special monitoring club composed by the European Commissioner, the European Central Bank and the IMF «should be replaced by a body with a greater democratic legitimacy», according to Pierre Moscovici. The new structure replacing Troika «should be a more responsible one, and set up all around the European institutions», stated Moscovici during a meeting organised by the think tank Bruegel. It is time to reconsider what has been done in the past, changing the way of monitoring the implementation of the reforms in the Euro area member States, since the situation is different from few years ago. «Troika was needed and was useful, but now I believe we need to move new steps forward».
  Within the EU the debate split Member States up. Italy stands with Pierre Moscovici, as affirmed Sandro Gozi, under secretary of State for European Affairs. «In this new phase of economic governance we need to ask ourselves if the Troika approach Troika will be necessary to handle the new cases that will arise in the future». German position is the opposite. «In order to change the supervision framework of the reforms, a change of the rules for the supervision of Eurozone would be necessary», recalled Wolfang Schaeuble, German minister of Finance. «When European Commissioners talk about the substitution of Troika they also should start the a Treaty change», he added. Flexibility against austerity, here we go again. The political debate still lies in this contrast, with a difference: this time there elections in Greece, where people want to dismantle than kind of Europe ruled over Athens for all this time.

A swastika with an inscription praising Hitler appeared in the bathrooms of the European Parliament, in Brussels. Unknown used a blue pen to smear the plastic box enclosing the toilet paper, and to draw the Nazi symbol accompanied by the motto "Hip Hitler". Really a bad day for everyone. The new security measures taken by the EU institutions may serve to stop terrorists, apparently not fools.

FACT SHEET / Muslims in Europe

(click to enlarge)

EU on alert after Charlie Hebdo shooting

 

Military trucks parked in front of the headquarters of the European Council, replacing former cab station. Europe today is this picture. After Charlie Hebdo shooting and the following after coordinated police raids across Belgium netted more than a dozen suspects, the EU is on alert, and new security measures were taken. Soldiers were put to guard the street and to control the entrances to the subway, which are in correspondence of the EU Council and EU Commission main door. For security reason the cab station was removed and displaced, and now just pedestrians can enter the "military zone". There are not terrorists in Brussels, just terror. Fear is visible, despite it was explained the European institutions had increased their alert level as a precaution, though they were not aware of any specific threat against them. Meanwhile, the European Parliament increased the access controls. All the people will have to show identity documents in addition to the badge in order to get in. The press entrance will remain closed indefinitely, and the internal parking will be inaccessible from 10pm. Europe today is that.