Relationships and sexuality education
In progress
‒ for foreign language programmes for migrants
EU Barometer
You will find the countries where, at the time this map was updated, we believe the laws regarding the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ people are the most advanced and are effectively enforced. Please note: the laws we have identified here are proposals to be discussed collectively during our network’s meetings.
We also recognize that these laws are fragile and can change depending on political regimes. A country that is very progressive today may take a significant step backward tomorrow. We will therefore collaboratively update this ever-evolving map with your help.
By clicking on one of the topics below, a pop-up will appear explaining why we chose that particular law.
Finally, some topics did not result in any specific choices or are ideas proposed by other countries or institutions; they therefore do not appear on the map.
Sexual rights and reproductive justice
Family law
Fight against patriarchal violence
Economic independence for all
Democracy for all
Legend:
Each colored dot corresponds to a general theme listed just above it.
For countries where no laws were included, clicking on a small icon brings up a pop-up explaining why the laws from those countries were not included.
In some cases, we did not have any information, so it will be up to you to let us know what progress has been made and what setbacks concern you,
so that we can keep this map up to date and organize solidarity among everyone.
belgium
Statute of limitation
In progress
‒ for having no statute of limitation on the crime of sexual violence against minors
fight against patriarchal violence
france
Contraception
In progress
‒ for its level of contraception coverage by the national health system for young people and
vulnerable groups
‒ for over-the-counter access to hormonal contraception
‒ for free and easy access to several forms of contraception, including hormonal birth control
such as long-acting reversible birth control, and the morning-after pill for the under 26s
‒ for free consultations and HIV, STI and STD testing for the under 26s
‒ for autonomous access to contraceptive information
‒ for online information on contraceptive methods, costs and places of purchase
sexual rights and reproductive justice
Adoption
In progress
‒ for its availability to straight and same-sex married and unmarried couples alike, as well as to single people
Civil partnerships
In progress
‒ for its availability to both straight and samesex couples, without discrimination
Maintenance support
In progress
‒ for its systematic use of an intermediation process
family law
Gender parity in politics
In progress
‒ for strict alternating between women and men on candidate lists in list-based elections
democracy for all
slovenia
The fundamental right to choose to have a child or not
In progress
‒ for enshrining in its constitution a global right to choose to have a child or not
‒ for enshrining it in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, specifying that every woman has
the right to choose to have children or not, entailing:
‒ access to comprehensive sexuality education from a very early childhood
‒ access to a chosen form of contraception, modern and free of charge
‒ free access to safe abortion at no cost
‒ access to free ART for lesbian couples, single women and transgender people
‒ unrestricted no-cost access to public services providing care during pregnancy and for supporting and educating the child
And applying the laws selected in this chapter
sexual rights and reproductive justice
sweden
Abortion
In progress
‒ for respecting women’s right to control their own bodies, which requires lucidity and a
sense of responsibility
‒ for access to abortion on demand
‒ for the legal time limit of at least 12 weeks (the legal time limit most common in Europe) but that could be defined along the lines of the Dutch model, which sets no limits other than foetal viability, in practice never exceeding 20 to 22 weeks
‒ for being free-of-charge with no requirement for a period of reflection or parental consent for minors
And based on the French model for free abortions
sexual rights and reproductive justice
Couples’ taxation
In progress
‒ for its exclusively separate individual taxation within a couple
family law
Parental leave
In progress
‒ for its duration of 480 days (16 months)
‒ for the division between both parents with a bonus period possible if they divide it exactly in half
‒ for compensation equivalent to 78% of salary
Retirement
In progress
‒ for a legal retirement age of 62
economic independence for all
Against forced sterilisation
In progress
‒ for compensation of victims of forced sterilisation, including transgender people
fight against patriarchal violence
denmark
Childcare structures
In progress
‒ for an effective right to a childcare place after the age of 6 months, a duration that coincides with the cumulative length of maternity, paternity and parental leave
‒ for a parental leave mechanism linked to the right to childcare
‒ for childcare structures that are affordable by all families
Retirement
In progress
‒ for the low earnings gap between women and men, doubtless related to childcare structures that do not isolate women from the labour market
economic independence for all
estonia
Maternity leave
In progress
‒ for offering leave long enough for women to rest but that does not cut them off too long from their working environment
‒ for mandatory full-length leave, protecting women from being forced to return early to work
‒ for maintaining women’s earnings at 100% during maternity leave
economic independence for all
Relationships and sexuality education
In progress
‒ for compulsory sexuality education starting in primary school and throughout schooling
‒ for teacher training
‒ for setting up partnerships with NGOs
‒ for a joint ministerial approach to sexuality education
‒ for wide-reaching awareness campaigns in the media targeting young people
‒ for sexuality education online classes
sexual rights and reproductive justice
european-commission
Gender parity in politics
In progress
‒ for imposing constraints and restrictions on national parties seeking to take part in European elections, and making European funding for political parties conditional on achieving gender balance in party bodies and lists
democracy for all
lithuania
Legal matrimonial regime
In progress
‒ for its community of acquests and gains regime
‒ for its protection for private property and property needed for one of the spouses to practise their profession
family law
malta
The respect of the integrity of intersex people
In progress
‒ for protection of the physical integrity of intersex people and affirmation of their right to self-determination
fight against patriarchal violence
none
Prostitution
In progress
Choisir’s choice: none because:
‒ no existing system appears to be able to effectively protect women from the sexual exploitation
prostitution exposes them to‒ no current system offers any meaningful alternative to people wanting to get out of prostitution
‒ no law effectively protects migrant prostitutes
fight against patriarchal violence
portugal
Gender parity in politics
In progress
‒ for proportional representation through lists for all elections, enshrined in the constitution and non-revisable
democracy for all
spain
ART
In progress
‒ for its availability to straight couples, lesbians, single women and trans men
‒ for being funded by the social security system
Marriage and divorce
In progress
‒ for marriage for both straight and same-sex couples, without discrimination
‒ for no-fault divorce based solely on each spouse’s individual freedoms
Paternity leave
In progress
‒ for a duration of 16 weeks, the same as maternity leave
‒ for remuneration of 100% of earnings
family law
Retirement
In progress
‒ for length of contributions and pension calculation
economic independence for all
Gender parity in politics
In progress
‒ for compulsory gender balance or mandatory quota targets of 40 to 60% in all elections
democracy for all
Adoption of an all-round policy to combat sexual violence
In progress
‒ for its definition of rape that includes a definition of positive consent
‒ for the establishment of emergency centres, open 24/7, lending support to victims
‒ for its educational measures aimed at pupils throughout their schooling
‒ for training all professionals involved in the police force, legal system, health and social sectors
‒ for the measures to help victims
Against forced sterilisation
In progress
‒ for outlawing all forms of forced sterilisation
Combating domestic violence
In progress
‒ for its cross-cutting global approach
‒ for the political will and budgetary means
‒ for the creation of specialised courts with criminal and civil jurisdiction
‒ for the implementation of an effective system for protecting and supporting victims, even when no formal complaint is lodged
‒ for the speed of the court process
‒ for measures raising awareness of gender-based violence in schools and the media
‒ for training provided to professionals
fight against patriarchal violence
croatia
Compensation provided to victims of sexual violence and rape in wartime
In progress
‒ for recognising the status of ‘civilian victims’, and providing financial compensation, access to legal aid, psychological support and free health insurance
fight against patriarchal violence
cyprus
Statute of limitation
In progress
‒ for having no statute of limitation on the crime of rape
fight against patriarchal violence
finland
Definition of rape and sexual violence
In progress
‒ for its definition of sexual violence that centres on the lack of consent
‒ for its definition of positive consent as the expression of a person’s wishes, which can be communicated through actions or words because a minor under 16 cannot give valid consent to a sex act with an adult
fight against patriarchal violence
Relationships and sexuality education
In progress
‒ for the joint formulation of sexuality education programmes with young people and TV and musical campaigns
sexual rights and reproductive justice
germany
Incest
In progress
‒ for the criminalisation of incest committed on children and adults
fight against patriarchal violence
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