In the run-up to the 29th October UN international day of care and support, this European round table hosted by the COFACE Disability and the European Committee of teh Regions will foster debate on the realities and support needs of family carers in the European Union today.
This working group meeting aims to explore the impact of globalisation on family structures, identify the challenges faced by transnational families, discuss relevant EU developments, and promote collaboration among stakeholders to enhance support systems for these families.
On the initiative of Minister Suzanne Raab, Austrian Minister for Women, Family, Integration and Media , a high level conference of European Ministers responsible for Family Affairs took place in Vienna on 13th June 2024, as part of the commemoration of the 30 anniversary of the International Year of the Family.
Ethnic segregation is a widespread and systematic practice in many European countries. These practices are illegal yet continue to shape the lives of children and families across Europe. Our rights to education, housing, and health, ostensibly enjoyed by us all, remain divided along ethnic lines. For many Roma, their enjoyment of these rights is severely limited, often with the tacit support of the state.
On 6-9th June 2024, Europeans voted to renew the European Parliament and new Members of European Parliament (MEP) will convene for the first time in Plenary mid-July in Strasbourg, France. While the European People’s Party (EPP), European Conservatives (ECR) and Identify and Democracy Group (ID) have seen an increase in seats, the Greens and Renew Europe have had significant losses. The Socialists have maintained around the same number of seats. The biggest increase has been for the non-aligned MEPs which are a heterogenous group, yet with most of them coming from the far right.
EU policy-makers must ensure that all families are given support and guidance to access and navigate the digital environment in a meaningful way. This includes strong legal frameworks as well as strong and “low-threshold” evidence-based support and prevention measures for families. COFACE has produced a policy brief highlighting the importance of digital technologies for children and their families, and analysing whether existing and currently debated EU frameworks aimed at ensuring safe and empowering digital experiences for children integrate a families perspective.
With new MEPs recently elected to the European Parliament and a new European Commission about to be formed, COFACE has produced a policy brief highlighting the importance of digital technologies for children and their families, and analysing whether existing and currently debated EU frameworks – aimed at ensuring safe and empowering digital experiences for children – integrate a families perspective. COFACE calls upon EU policy-makers to ensure that all families are given support and guidance to access and navigate the digital environment in a meaningful way.
On 11 June 2024, the world celebrated its first International Day of Play. This initiative was driven by a coalition of global organisations who urged the United Nations General Assembly to establish it through a UN resolution. Adopted on 25 March, the resolution underscores the essential role of play in children's lives, highlighting its importance for education and well-being. It also stressed its role for inclusivity, resilience, and tolerance, ensuring that every child can have access to sufficient leisure time and can play freely.
We are pleased to welcome and introduce COFACE’s newest members joining us from Northern Macedonia, Georgia, and Malta to contribute to positive outcomes for families in a changing society.
