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ASTANA Kazakh Commissioner for Human Rights Elvira Azimova addressed the current cooperation agenda with European Union (EU) partners during her working visit to Brussels, reported the Commissioners press service on Sept. 29.

Elvira Azimova, Commissioner for Human Rights in Kazakhstan and EU Special Representatives for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore. Photo credit: Commissioner for Human Rights in Kazakhstan press service

Azimova met with officials from the European Commission and the European Parliament (EP) and experts from several European institutions engaged in human rights protection.

European politicians were briefed on the recent adoption of the new constitutional law on the Commissioner for Human Rights, which aims to strengthen the competence of an Ombudsperson in Kazakhstan and increase the efficiency of its future activities. They also supported direct contact with the countrys National Center for Human Rights.

During the meetings with the EU Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala and the EUs Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore, Azimova discussed enhancing collaboration in democracy and human rights protection based on Kazakhstan and the EUs 2015 Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

Kazakhstans Commissioner for Human Rights discussed top priority initiatives to strengthen the fundamentals of the rule of law in the country with the Deputy Managing Director of the European External Action Service for the Eastern Partnership, Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, Luc Devigne.

Azimova addressed issues of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the EU in the sphere of human rights at a meeting with members of the EPs Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Sub-committee on Human Rights (DROI), and the Delegation for Collaboration with Central Asia and Mongolia (DCAS). The parties agreed to have additional online conversations with the DROI leadership on Kazakhstans ongoing reforms. EP member Karsten Luke said the European Parliament follows Kazakhstans democratic reforms and values Astanas stance on current international issues.

During meetings, Azimova and the EU partners also discussed measures on tackling domestic violence, such as the police introducing a risk assessment system to prevent relapse.

Additionally, Azimova met with specialists from the International Partnership for Human Rights and the World Organization Against Torture to discuss international collaboration in preventing torture. The European interlocutors expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Kazakhstans Ministry of Justice in connection with transferring a new mandate to this state body from the countrys law enforcement agencies to rectify criminal law and criminal procedure-related legislation.

See more here:
Kazakhstans Human Rights Ombudswoman Discusses Cooperation With European Union During Visit to Brussels - Astana Times

About the Event

Ambassador of the European Union to the United States Stavros Lambrinidis and a delegation of European Ambassadors to the United States, including Ambassador Mariangela Zappia of Italy, Ambassador Audra Plepyte of Lithuania, and Ambassador Andrei Muraru of Romania will join the Foreign Policy Research Institute and the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia for a discussion on how Russias invasion of Ukraine has impacted the European Union, and how the E.U. is responding to multiple overlapping challenges while remaining a nimble and reliable partner for the United States.

This discussion will be moderated by Ronald J. Granieri, Executive Director of FPRI's Center for the Study of America and the West.

This event will be held in person, at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, and virtually, via Zoom.

Space is limited and registration is required. The deadline for in-person registration is Friday, September 30, 2022, at 1:00 PM

Stavros Lambrinidis - His Excellency Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis has been the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States since March 1, 2019.

Mariangela Zappia - Mariangela Zappia is the Italian Ambassador to the United States of America. A career diplomat with over thirty-five years of experience, she is the first woman in her country to hold this position, as she was the first woman Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in New York and to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (2018-2021).

Audra Plepyte - Ambassador Audra Plepyte is a Lithuanian career diplomat, ambassador. On 21 April 2021 she was nominated as Lithuanian ambassador to the United States. From May 2021 Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States of America and to the United Mexican States.

Andrei Muraru - Andrei Muraru has been accredited by the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the United States on July 7, 2021. The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, accepted his Letters of Credence on September 15, 2021.

Ronald J. Granieri - Dr. Ronald J. Granieri is the Executive Director of FPRIs Center for the Study of America and the West,and host of People, Politics, and Prose,a monthly series of events.

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Russia's War in Ukraine: Impacts on the European Union - FPRI Events - Foreign Policy Research Institute

Sanaa, 29 September 2022 UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, welcomes a 9.4 million humanitarian contribution from the European Union (EU). The funding will assist nearly a million of the most vulnerable women, girls and displaced people in Yemen with emergency relief, life-saving reproductive health care and mental health services. The funds are critical for the continuation of these services at a time when UNFPAs humanitarian response is being challenged by limited financing and growing humanitarian needs.

At present, an estimated 8.1 million women and girls of childbearing age require help accessing reproductive health services, including antenatal care, safe delivery services, postnatal care, family planning, and emergency obstetric and newborn care. Due to extreme shortages inessential medicines, supplies and specialized staff, only 1 in 5 of the functioning health facilities is able to provide maternal and newborn care. Mental health care remains scarce, with an estimated 7 million people requiring mental health treatment and support. Some 4.3 million people have been displaced since the escalation of the conflict, a situation compounded by natural disasters linked to climate change.

The EU will continue to stand by millions of Yemenis who need humanitarian aid after more than seven years of unresolved conflict and crisis. 9.4 million we announce today will help women, girls and displaced people access crucial healthcare, said European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenari. We wont let down vulnerable people who rely on us and our partnership with UNFPA to access vital health care and emergency assistance in their hour of need. I call on the parties to the conflict to facilitate unhindered access to those in need, particularly women and children

With EU support, UNFPA will provide emergency obstetric and maternal health care in 52 health facilities and mental health services in two specialized psychological care centres. UNFPA will also support the distribution of emergency relief supplies among newly displaced persons through the UNFPA-led Rapid Response Mechanism.

The support of the European Union has been pivotal to UNFPAs humanitarian response in Yemen, with nearly 47 million in financial contributions since 2018.

Women and girls often pay the heaviest price in conflicts. In Yemen, more than half of the 4.3 million people displaced are women. They urgently need protection and reproductive health services, said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. UNFPA is grateful for the strong and steadfast support of the European Union for our work in Yemen, which helps us to deliver life-saving assistance to hundreds of thousands of women and girls.

UNFPA is the sole provider of essential life-saving reproductive health medicines in Yemen and leads coordination and provision of womens reproductive health and protection services across the country.

***

UNFPA, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young persons potential is fulfilled.

*Lankani Sikurajapathy: Tel. +94773411614; *sikurajapathy@unfpa.org

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European Union provides over 9 million to UNFPA for lifesaving assistance to the most vulnerable in Yemen [EN/AR] - Yemen - ReliefWeb

EU said it firmly condemned the annexation by Russia of occupied Ukraine regions.(File)

The European Union said on Friday it firmly condemned the annexation by Russia of occupied Ukraine regions, adding it would never recognise "illegal" referendums held there and would tighten its sanctions to increase pressure on Moscow.

The European Council, which groups the 27 EU member states, said in a statement on behalf of those members that Russia's wilful undermining of the international order was putting global security at risk.

"We do not and will never recognise the illegal 'referenda' that Russia has engineered as a pretext for this further violation of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor their falsified and illegal results," the statement said.

"We will strengthen our restrictive measures countering Russia's illegal actions. They will further increase pressure on Russia to end its war of aggression," it said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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European Union Says Will Never Accept Russia's "Illegal" Referendums - NDTV

The European Union is a collection of 28 member states located in Europe. This unified body eliminates border control allowing for the flow of people and goods. Member states also receive technologies and are represented by the EU within judicial and legislative institutions. In return, member states are subject to binding laws as a condition of their membership, and must adopt laws implemented by the EU in areas including foreign policy and defense. The total population of the EU is 512,596,403, according to the most recent estimates taken in 2018.

As mentioned, 28 states are a part of the European Union. These states are (in alphabetical order): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. However, it is important to note that the United Kingdom will be exiting the EU in 2019.

The predecessor of the EU was formed in 1957. This was known as the European Economic Community. The founding members included France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and West Germany. This organization became known as the EU in 1958. Throughout the years, it has grown with more members, with the most recent, Croatia, joining in 2013. Common policies on trade, agriculture and development are shared by the member states.

The largest member state of the EU by area is France, which is also the second largest by population. The largest by population is Germany, which is estimated to have 82,437,641 residents. All but three of the member states have populations that exceed one million residents. Cyprus, Luxembourg and Malta are the three least-populated member states, with Maltas population falling just under 500,000 people. Malta is also the smallest member state by area.

The most populated city in the EU is London, UK, which has a population of over 12 million. Paris, France only falls slightly behind with a population rapidly approaching 12 million. The third most populous city is Madrid, which has over 6.6 million residents.

When breaking down the population of the EU as a whole, just 9.4% of residents were born outside of their resident country. There are 24 official languages spoken throughout the EU, with 51% of residents speaking English. Other languages include German, French, Italian, Spanish and Poland, just to name a few. There are also over 150 regional and minority languages spoken by about 50 million residents. There is no official religion observed in the EU. Most residents are Christian, with over 71% following this religion. Of this number over 45% are Catholic, while other Christian religions include Protestant and Eastern Orthodox. Other religions observed in the UK include Muslim and other faiths, although these are minority religions.

The European Union has seen slight growth in recent years. The birth rate is about 10 per 1,000 people, which falls below the world average. According to estimates from 2016, the population rose just 0.23%. Slow growth is expected in the near future, but the population will decrease significantly when the UK withdraws from the EU in 2019.

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European Union Population 2022 - worldpopulationreview.com