European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development
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European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development Executive Committee Elections 18 April 2016, Berlin CANDIDATES PRESIDENCY Portugal: Monica Ferro (EPP) Sweden: Ulrika Karlsson (EPP) VICE PRESIDENCY Bosnia Herzegovina: Nermina Kapetanovic ( EPP) Spain: Juan Carlos Grau (EPP) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP: Armenia: Arpine Hovhannisyan (EPP) Austria: Katharina Kucharowits (Socialist) Belgium: Petra De Sutter (Green) European Parliament: Hilde Vautmans (Liberal) Finland : Jani Toivola (Green / for re-election) France : Edith Gueugneau (Socialist) Georgia: George Tsereteli (EPP) Lithuania: Marija Aušrinė Pavilionienė (Socialist) Macedonia: Liljana Popovska (Green) Russian Federation: Natxo Raziet (One Russia/Conservative) Switzerland: Yvonne Feri (Socialist) United Kingdom: Baroness Ann Jenkin (Conservative) Candidates for PRESIDENT Portugal: Monica Ferro (EPP) Sweden: Ulrika Karlsson (EPP) CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT Portugal: Monica Ferro (EPP) Dear Baroness Jenny Tonge, President of EPF Dear Neil Datta, Secretary of EPF I, Mónica Ferro, chair of the Portuguese All Party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development hereby announce my candidacy to the Presidency of EPF. I’ve chaired the APPG since 2011 and had previously worked with the Group coordinating a study and participating in the Launch of UNFPA Swop Report, in the Seminars on “Human Rights at the Table,” organized by the APPG, as well as a member of civil society organizations. Since 2011 I’ve made SRHR, Gender Based Violence, universal access to family planning, empowerment of women and girls, ending FGM, youth empowerment and maternal health the central part of my civic, political and parliamentary work. I’ve participated in several major events of EPF, UNFPA, IPPF and civil society on the Population and Development Agenda and advocated for change and for the fulfillment of the Cairo PoA and also the Beijing Platform of Action in political speeches, op-eds, conferences, seminars, in Portugal and abroad. My CV shows how the Group has a very strong presence in the ongoing debates in Portugal. Portugal has secured in the last years major advancements in this area and it is recognized as a country that is devoted to this Agenda. The recent election for the UN Human Rights Council, with a record number of votes, is a proof of this recognition. Also the fact that we were the first country in the European Union to rarify the Istanbul Convention shows the high level of commitment. In all these processes the APPG was involved. Being a southern European country, we still face many challenges and understand, as many other European countries do, the difficulties in removing obstacles to a life in dignity for all. In these trouble times, this experience can constitute an added value to EPF. We have learned the value of working, and learning, from the civil society organizations, with UNFPA, IPPF and we have profited immensely from the network, advocacy and experiences that EPF have provided us with. The times ahead of us are not easy ones. Europe has lost the lead in many arenas, the Convention of Istanbul needs strong parliamentarian engagement so it can be efficiently applied as the strongest instrument against VAW and DV, the Post-2015 agenda is being finalized and this time we have to make sure that no one is left behind, the unfinished Agendas of Cairo and Beijing need to be transformed into perpetual compromises included in all public policies and adequately funded, so monitoring ODA as to continue to be a core piece of our work. Women, Girls, Youth and LGBT need to be the actors of their own development and this mean to empower them and to give them voice and rights. There are many challenges ahead of us, but I believe we have the resources and the knowledge to overcome them. With a special message to Baroness Jenny Tonge, to Neil Datta and to Ulrika Karlssom I put myself at your disposal to further develop my ideas and vision and to work for a world with more freedom and more dignity for all. Lisbon, 1 April 2015 Mónica Ferro Monica Ferro, Curriculum Vitae 2015 Mónica Sofia do Amaral Pinto Ferro Born on the 7th November 1972, Porto, Portugal Married, two daughters Lives in Lisbon Member of the Portuguese Parliament Lecturer at the Institute of Political and Social Sciences, University of Lisbon (http://www.iscsp.utl.pt/) Academic Background Graduate diploma in International Relations (1995), Institute of Political and Social Sciences, University of Lisbon Master’s degree in International Relations (2003), ISCSP - UL PhD candidate with a thesis on “Security Sector Reform in Fragile States.”, ISCSP - UL Researcher at the Orient Institute, ISCSP - UL Senior Researcher at the Observatory for Human Security. Associated Researcher at CIEG – Interdisciplinary Gender Studies Center – University of Lisbon Parliamentarian Activity, XII Legislature, 2011-2015 Vice President of the Parliamentarian Group of the Social Democrats Chair of the All Party Group on Population and Development (Rights, Equality, Health, Education and Cooperation) Member of the Executive Committee of the European Parliamentary Group on Population and Development Member of the Parliamentary Commission on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Liberties and Guaranties (alternate) Member of the Subcommittee for Equality Member of the Foreign Affairs and Portuguese Communities Committee (alternate) Member of the Defense Committee Member of the Committee on Ethic, Citizenship and Social Communication Member of the Working Group on Medically Assisted Reproduction 1 Monica Ferro, Curriculum Vitae 2015 Member of the Portuguese Parliamentarian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO (alternate) Member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Guinea Bissau Member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Timor Leste Member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Georgia Selected Legislative/Parliamentary work (only related to the Population and Development Agenda) Law Projects / co-author 138/XII - Changes the Law n.º 32/2006, 26th July, that regulates the utilization of techniques of Medically Assisted Procreation 517/XII - Creates an autonomous crime on female genital mutilation 647/XII - Changes the Penal Code, to criminalize stalking and forced marriage 682/XII - Proceeds to the first alteration to the Law nº 14/2008, 12th march, that prohibits and penalizes sex based discrimination on the access to goods and services and their supply 769/XII - Reinforces the protection of victims of domestic violence, by changing the Penal Code and the Law nº 112/2009 that establishes the legal regime that applies to the prevention of domestic violence, and the protection and assistance to its victims. Resolution Projects / co-author 635/XII - On the promotion of equality in labour for men and women 2 Monica Ferro, Curriculum Vitae 2015 Reports on Resolutions Report that recommends that Portugal should join the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons; Report that approves the "Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States of the one part and the European Community and its Member States of the other part" signed on 23 June 2000 in Cotonou, altered for the first time in Luxembourg, 25th June 2005, signed in Ouagodougou,22 June 2010; Report that Approves the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, adopted on 18 December 2002 at the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly of the United Nations by resolution A/RES/57/199, entered into force on 22 June 2006 Report that Approves the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 10 December 2008 Report that Approves the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, adopted in Istanbul, on 11 may 2011 Report on European Initiatives COM(2013)531 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Beyond 2015: towards a comprehensive and integrated approach to financing poverty eradication and sustainable development COM(2013)92 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - A DECENT LIFE FOR ALL: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future 3 Monica Ferro, Curriculum Vitae 2015 Selected hearings 2015-01-29 meeting with the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Gabriela Knaul 2014-09-16 meeting with a delegation from California’s Senate on the issue of LGBT rights and the fight against homophobia and transphobia, with the Honourable Ricardo Lara (Delegation Leader), Chair, Latino Legislative Caucus 2012-02-17 Working meeting with the Experts from GRETA - Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings aimed at improving the knowledge on the mechanism of intervention in the field of human trafficking as well as the Report Portugal presented on the matter 2013-05-21 meeting with P&D Factor – Association for Cooperation on Population and Development on the debate and construction of the Foreign Affairs Agenda for the Post-2015 2012-05-08 Meeting with Instituto Marquês de Valle Flôr on Cooperation policy 2012-05-08 Meeting with Instituto de Estudos Estratégicos e Internacionais (IEEI)