last updated July 1, 2004
The European Union, known initially as the European Economic Community, was founded in the wake of the Second World War as an institution to maintain peace and economic security in Europe. From its inception, however, the European Union has addressed individual rights through its founding treaties and the judgments of the European Court of Justice. Most recently, the Treaty Establishing the Constitution of the European Union, which was signed on June 18, 2004 and currently awaits ratification by all Member States, incorporates the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Both complete and explanatory texts of the major EU treaties can be accessed from the Europa website. Apart from the major treaties, the European Union addresses gender equality through numerous directives, resolutions, recommendations and acts, promulgated by the Council of the European Union, the European Commission and the European Parliament. The majority of these documents, some of which have the force of Community law, address workplace issues and trafficking in women and girls. Thus, the European Union's main focus on violence against women has been on sexual harassment and sexual exploitation. The European Union's gender equality legislation can be accessed from the EU website and is also summarized in Sexual Harassment: EU Law and Policy and the Trafficking: Law and Policy section on the European Union.
Below is a link to a description of the founding treaties of the European Union and the human rights mechanisms elaborated in each. In addition, below is a link to a discussion of the Treaty Establishing the Constitution of the European Union and its impact on women's human rights. | 
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