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FAFCE Weekly news 20 nov 2015
FAFCE
Press Release: Surrogacy Motherhood debated at the Council of Europe - are Human beings a commodity?
Yesterday FAFCE issued a Press Release where it raised concern about the ongoing debate at the Council of Europe on Surrogacy Motherhood. You may find more information in the specific paragraph below. Click here to read the Press Release in English, French or German.
European Parliament
Strasbourg Plenary Session
The November Plenary Session of the European Parliament will take place next week in Strasbourg. You may consult the agenda, clicking on this link. Two interesting Report will be voted, one on Reducing inequalities with a special focus on child poverty (Inês Cristina Zuber, GUE/NGL, Portugal) and another one on EU Strategic framework on health and safety at work 2014-2020 (Ole Christensen, S&D, Denmark), which also includes reference to the family life-work balance.
European Commission
Commission launches public consultation on work-life balance
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on how to improve work-life balance and reduce obstacles to women's participation in the labour market, thereby contributing to the employment headline target of the Europe 2020 Strategy. Click here to contribute.
Council of Europe
"De Sutter Report": Surrogacy debated at the Social Affairs and Health Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
As stated before, on Monday 23 November, in Paris, the PACE Social Affairs and Health Committee will discuss on the De Sutter Report, so called from the name of his rapporter, Dr Petra de Sutter (Belgium, Socialist Group). FAFCE sent a voting recommendation, that we encouraged you to send to your MPs members of this Committee (the list has been sent out on the FAFCE Google Group and is available at this link). Probably a vote will take place in order to adopt the draft report at the Committee stage. If this is confirmed (despite the complexity of this issue), this dossier should be on the Plenary Session agenda already in January, ready for the final vote. FAFCE will attend the meeting on Monday and is working especially to sensitise the Members of this Committee who don't seem to be aware of the big risks hidden behind this text, whose rapporteur, as said in our press release, declared herself in favour of surrogacy.
Church
Weekly General Audience
Pope Francis addressed the crowds last Wednesday in Saint-Peter's Square in Rome.He reflected on the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy which will start very soon, considering "the great open door of God’s mercy, symbolized by the Holy Doors which will open in Churches throughout the world". Click here to read the English digest of the Pope's catechesis.
Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Australia to all Australians on the ‘Same-sex Marriage’ Debate
Click here to read the Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Australia to all Australians on the ‘Same-sex Marriage’ Debate. Following the publication of this pamphlet, Martine Delaney, a transgender activist, made a complaint from against Archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous. Delaney said the pamphlet “offends and humiliates” same-sex partners and the children they look after by indicating that “same-sex relationships are [merely] friendships,” that “same-sex attracted people are not whole,” and that the “children of same-sex couples are not healthy or virtuous.” Click here to watch the reaction of Archbishop Porteous and hereto read the reaction of Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney.
