Editorial
Dear Readers,
It's already time for another monthly update from the COFACE network. How time flies. This month of November has been a busy fact-finding month for COFACE Families Europe, trying to assess to what extent we are becoming digital families, and gathering evidence to bring policies in line with new digital developments. The ultimate aim being to ensure no families are left out.
We also made the most of different conferences and meetings to collect key information for the network, speaking at the following events: the Annual meeting of People Experiencing Poverty where we further debated the future European Pillar of Social Rights; a European Parliament hearing of Eurofound on changing working conditions where we spoke on the importance of work life balance; a meeting organised by the EU Intellectual Property Office where we provided the perspective of families as consumers; and the Safer Internet Forum 2016 where we provided feedback on limiting children's exposure to online advertising.
COFACE is firmly rooted in social policy, but making strategic links with other key policy areas such as employment, online protection of children, and consumer policy. Which is a reflection of the expertise of our membership. The selection of members news this month covers celebrations of World Prematurity Day (from our European member EFCNI), support services to prevent parental burnout of families of people with disabilities (Belgium), an awareness-raising campaign about the risks of counterfeiting (Spain), a publication about Connected Families (France), the importance of families in preserving social cohesion in times of crisis (Greece), and a coordinated call for quality standards in childcare (Germany).
With the support of our members and partners, our aim is to continue promoting a progressive family agenda based on our six core values of non-discrimination, equal opportunities, solidarity, social inclusion, empowerment, and respect of human rights. In the run-up to the 2019 European Parliament elections, and given the current rise in populism both in Europe and on the other side of the Atlantic, we will stand firm and do our best to defend our core values. Feel free to help us in this endeavour.
Very best wishes,
Liz Gosme
Director of COFACE-Families Europe
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Join COFACE's initiative on #ToysAndDiversity
For the second year, COFACE Families Europe is relaunching the #ToysAndDiversity campaign. This initiative aims at detecting and putting a spotlight on gender stereotypes in toy catalogues and shops, but also aims at showing whether the toys are inclusive towards children with disabilities and with a migrant background.
Have you spotted versions of the same game or toy "for girls" and "for boys" in toy catalogues or toy shops? Or have you found examples of neutral or inclusive toys for children with disabilities? Then take a picture, and post it with the hashtag #ToysAndDiversity... Read more
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Conference “The impact of digitalisation on 21st century families”, 7-8 November, Berlin
COFACE-Families Europe and its German member AGF, organised the #digitalfamiliesEU conference on 7-8 November in Berlin. We aimed to launch a first European discussion on the social impact of digitalisation as it is essential to prepare families for digital changes.
We will publish in the following weeks a video report with the key moments of the conference and a series of policy briefs. In the meantime you can see some speaker presentations as well a selection of picture on our website
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Joint statement: “Children cannot wait: 7 priority actions to protect all refugee and migrant children”
78 organisations active in the field of children’s rights (as COFACE Families Europe) strongly welcome that this year’s European Forum on the Rights of the Child focuses on protecting children in migration. Children represent a significant proportion of migrants and refugees.
At least 1 in 3 people arriving in Greece by sea in 2016 were children and the number of unaccompanied children arriving in Italy has doubled compared to 2015. However, actions for children have remained uneven and insufficient. Read the full Joint statement here
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Supporting a European Coalition to end violence against women and girls
More than 25 European civil society networks have joined forces in this European Coalition to End violence against women and girls (VAWG), convened by the European Women’s Lobby, in light of the recent policy developments at EU level regarding violence against women.
The European Coalition to end VAWG launched a factsheet calling on different key EU decision makers to act... read more
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COFACE attends meeting organised by the EU Intellectual Property Office
COFACE was invited to attend a working group on raising public awareness on Intellectual Property issues, organised by the EU Intellectual Property Observatory.
Families are consumers, and in the run-up to the holiday season they will buy various products, including toys. In some countries, counterfeit toys are a major issue hampering the formal economy and bringing health hazards directly into the home... read more
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COFACE’s views on the potential of the proposed Pillar to fight against poverty and social exclusion
This year, the European Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty, organised by the European Anti-Poverty Network took place on 15-16 November, in Brussels. The theme for the meeting was 'Empowerment through Participation' and it also followed-up last year’s discussion on the European Pillar of Social Rights.
COFACE was invited to share its views on the potential of the proposed Pillar to fight against poverty and social exclusion… read more
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Changing working conditions in Europe: COFACE’s family perspective within the debate of reconciling work and family life
On 17 November Eurofound, jointly with the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, presented the results of its sixth European Working Conditions Survey.
COFACE was present to bring the family perspective within the debate of reconciling work and family life and presented some of the factors that are necessary to ensure that families are able to properly reconcile their work and their family and care responsibilities... read more
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Raising awareness on World Prematurity Day by EFCNI
World Prematurity Day on 17 November was initiated by EFCNI and partnering European parent organisations in 2008. Meanwhile, countless individuals and organisations are currently joining forces with activities, special events and commit to action to help address preterm birth and improve the situation of preterm babies and their families. The typical socksline and purple lightings have become symbols of World Prematurity Day. More about the campaign
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"Consume Original, Be Authentic", ASGECO-Confederación (Spain) presents its awareness-raising campaign on the risk of counterfeiting
ASGECO-Confederación launched a series of expert panels in the framework of their campaign "Consume Original, Be Authentic". The campaign aims to raise awareness of consumers and users about the risks, both socio-economic and related to health, hidden behind counterfeiting. The counterfeits trade, copies and crimes against intellectual and industrial property moves about 1.59 trillion euros per year and has had an exponential growth of 280% since 2008. Its consequences go beyond the lack of consumer protection, and important health risks... read more
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Seminar “Is there such thing as parental burn-out? Let’s talk about it!” AP3 (Belgium)
The seminar, organised by the Belgian Association of Parents and professionals supporting people with multiple disabilities (AP3), will be held on Saturday 3 December in Brussels. The seminar will be divided into several workshops: 1: “Burn-out and society… The difficulties parents face in their different duties (administrative, medical, educational)”. 2: “Family, cultural and social resources: can a new network be created?”. 3: “Sharing of resourcing experiences and of respite solutions” and workshop 4: “Traditional and alternative medicine”... read more
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Publication “Connected families”, UNAF (France)
UNAF recently launched a publication on "connected families". With this publication, UNAF aims to present the digital environment, its practices (video games, Internet, social media, mobile phones, television) and its potential excesses (excessive practices, breach of privacy, violence, and other risks…). UNAF, in each of its different actions on digital matters (journal, brochure or parents conference), invites parents to keep their parental role (show interest, establish educational rules, set an example, maintain dialogue…). The publication also presents initiatives from the family associative movement to answer the needs of families... read more
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Joint declaration on quality standards in daycare facilities for children by AGF (Germany)
AGF coordinated a joint call of 16 organisations on implementing common quality standards for child care facilities. The organizations published their statement on the occasion of an interim report that was presented by a Federal and State commission on achieving high quality in child care facilities. The broad coalition is formed by family organisations, social welfare organisations and childrens rights organisations as well as trade unions... read more
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ASPE meets with the President of the Hellenic Republic on the Large family Day (Greece)
The President of the Hellenic Republic Prof. Prokopis Pavlopoulos, met with the Presidium of the Supreme Confederation of Multi Child Parents of Greece (ASPE) on November 6 at the official celebration day for large/multi-child families in Greece. Mr. Pavlopoulos emphasised the need to support the Welfare State, but also the importance of the family to prevent disrupture of the social fabric... read more
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Safer Internet Forum 2016
On the 24th of November, the INSAFE/INHOPE/BIK network and the European Commission DG CNECT organised in Luxembourg the 2016 edition of the Safer Internet Forum under the theme “Be the change”. The conference brought together a variety of stakeholders to discuss the ongoing challenges of achieving a “Better Internet for Kids”.
The final panel session of the Safer Internet Forum looked to the future and the challenges ahead. Martin Schmalzried from COFACE presented 7 key areas of focus that will need to be addressed in the future... read more
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Public consultations on the evaluation of the EASI and Horizon2020 programmes - Time to have your say to support the social policy and research agenda at EU level
The EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EASI) and the Horizon2020 research programme, are currently the subject of a mid-term evaluation. Both evaluations also include open public consultations of EU citizens and organisations. We would like invite our network to position themselves on both programmes by answering the brief online questionnaires. The deadlines for both consultations are around mid-January 2017... read more
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Semester 2017 launched: European Commission launches its economic and social priorities for the year ahead
This month, the European Commission set out its views on the EU's economic and social priorities for the year ahead, building on the guidance from President Juncker's 2016 State of the Union address and on the latest economic data from the Commission's Autumn 2016 Forecast. The publication of this package starts the 2017 cycle of economic governance, the so-called European Semester... read more
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New WHO/Europe report calls for urgent action to protect children from digital marketing of food
Food marketing has been identified by the scientific community as an important contributor to the “obesogenic” environment, in which foods high in fats, salt and sugars are promoted extensively, are more visible and are cheaper and easier to obtain than healthy options. Food marketing has been shown consistently to influence children’s food preferences and choices, shape their dietary habits and increase their risk for becoming obese... read more
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Recent social policy developments in Iceland and Latvia - two flash reports
Two new Flash Reports prepared by the European Social policy Network (ESPN) have just become available and provide information on recent policy developments related to old-age in Iceland and Latvia... read more
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WAF Project meeting in London
Work Autonomy, Flexibility and Work-Life Balance (WAF Project) is a Europeann research project of the University of Kent and COFACE is part of the Policy advisory Board since 2014.
This project aims to examine how work autonomy and working-time flexibility (flexitime) is being used and provided, and how it can be used to benefit workers rather than to lead to increased intensification of work and blurring boundaries between work and family life... read more
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Safer Internet Day 2017 – ‘Be the change’ and unite for a better internet!
Safer Internet Day (SID) is organised by the Insafe network of Safer Internet Centres in February of each year to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially among children and young people across the globe. Safer Internet Day 2017 will be celebrated on 7 February 2017 with a theme of 'Be the change: Unite for a better internet’. We invite you to already start planning your actions, and tell us how you plan to ‘be the change’. More information: www.saferinternetday.org/register
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Better Internet for Kids bulletin - December edition
The Better Internet for Kids (BIK) bulletin is a quarterly electronic newsletter with the aim of keeping you informed on better internet issues. Each edition provides a topical focus article looking at the latest trends in online life, with features from youth, industry and the research community, along with a mix of news and resources from key stakeholders in the field. The last edition of the year will focus on online advertising and the commercialisation of children and young people online. More information: www.betterinternetforkids.eu/bikbulletin
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