EWL actions calling for EU Year to End Violence against Women

Join the call for a European Year to end violence against women!

Sign up to the European coalition for a European Year on combating and preventing violence against women!

The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) has initiated a broad European advocacy movement, gathering NGOs and decision-makers, lobbying for comprehensive EU action on violence against women and for a European Year on combating and preventing violence against women.

Why a European Year to end violence against women?

A European Year is the best way to draw attention to the spread phenomenon of violence against women and its impacts on society. Through the establishment of such year, EU and national institutions raise awareness on the issue and renew their political commitment to end violence against women. This is the perfect opportunity to propose concrete measures together with awareness activities and a media campaign: by coupling the EU Year and an EU comprehensive policy framework to end violence against women, the EU would demonstrate its genuine commitment to take the lead towards a Europe free from all forms of violence against women.

A recurrent demand of the European Parliament

Already in 2009, the European Parliament had asked the European Commission to declare, within the next five years, a ’European Year on Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women’, in a written declaration adopted in April. In October 2010, more than half of the MEPs adopted a new written declaration on establishing a European Year of Combating Violence against Women. Such call for a European Year has been repeatedly demanded in many EP resolutions and reports dealing with women’s rights and equality between women and men over the last two years. It’s now time to act and use the opportunity of the EC’s commitment to deliver a strategy, and have a concrete comprehensive and effective EU action aiming at ending violence against women through legislative and awareness activities.

No EU legislation so far on violence against women!

To date, the EU has no binding legislation in place to deal with this most pervasive human rights abuse within its borders. The last few years have nevertheless witnessed an increased political willingness to change this, with multiple calls from the European Parliament for action, the prioritisation of the issue by the Trio Presidency, Council Conclusions mandating the European Commission to devise a Strategy on violence against women and consider legal instruments, and numerous commitments to this effect by the EU executive. In parallel, the European Fundamental Rights Agency and European Institute for Gender Equality have launched initiatives to gather much needed comparable European data on the issue, and the Daphne Programme has built up a solid foundation of expertise and good practices throughout the Union in the prevention of violence against women.

Violence against women is a pervasive human rights violation

Violence against women is a human rights issue. It affects approximately 45% of all women across Europe. An estimated one-fifth of women in the EU suffer from violence within the home and more than one in ten women is a victim of sexual violence involving the use of force: in the UK, 80 000 women experience rape or attempted rape; in France, one woman is killed every three days by her partner. Domestic violence alone costs EU Member States as much as 16 billion Euros every year – or one million Euros every half hour. The annual budgets of EU Member States for prevention programmes of violence against women are 1000 times less than this figure, and this despite consistent Euro-barometer survey results highlighting widespread concern for the prevalence and scope of violence against women, including within the family.

Violence against women is a political issue, both cause and consequence of inequality between women and men. In addition to the direct impacts on individuals and the aggregate social costs, male violence against women shapes women’s place in society: their access to employment and education, integration into social and cultural activities, economic independence, participation in public and political life and decision-making, health and relations with men. At the same time, inequality between women and men creates the conditions for violence against women and legitimises it.

The urgency of an EU Year and action to end violence against women: support the call!

The time is therefore ripe for a comprehensive approach to ending violence against women within the EU’s borders and for a European Commission commitment to elaborate an EU policy framework on combating violence against women by 2012. Such action has to be accompanied by a clear public message that violence against women is a pervasive violation of women’s rights, through the establishment a European Year on combating and preventing violence against women.

Join our coalition and advocate for EU action to end violence against women now and a European Year dedicated to this goal!

Sign up to the Coalition for a European Year on VAW

 

Members of the European Parliament

  • Catherine Stihler, UK, S&D
  • Mary Honeyball, UK, S&D
  • Mikael Gustafsson, Sweden, GUE
  • Ilda Figueiredo, Portugal, GUE
  • Marije Cornelissen, the Netherlands, Greens
  • Antonyia Parvanova, Bulgaria, ALDE
  • Britta Thomsen, Denmark, S&D
  • Marc Tarabella, Belgium, S&D
  • Mariya Nedelcheva, Bulgaria, EPP
  • Marian Harkin, Ireland, ALDE
  • Gay Mitchell, Ireland, EPP
  • Nessa Childers, Ireland, S&D
  • Phil Prendergast, Ireland, S&D
  • Mairead McGuinness, Ireland, EPP
  • Kartika Liotard, the Nertherlands, GUE
  • Liam Aylward, Ireland, ALDE
  • Ana Gomes, Portugal, S&D
  • Riikka Manner, Finland, ALDE
  • Ivailo Kalfin, Bulgaria, S&D
  • Inês Zuber, Portugal, GUE
  • Iratxe García Pérez, Spain, S&D
  • Emer Costello, Ireland, S&D

Other European decision-makers

  • Anna Karamanou , PES Women Vice-President , MEP Former, Greece

National decision-makers

  • Agnieszka Grzybek , Polish Green Party, Poland
  • Kristin Astgeirsdottir, Center of Gender Equality (Jafnréttisstofa), Iceland
  • Nataliya Kravtsova, Chief Officer of the Ministry of Economics, Russia
  • Cllr Suzanne Richards, Councillor on Manchester City Council, UK
  • Marianne Bruun, Chairman on Committee of Gender Equality , Social Democratic Party DK, Denmark
  • Sara Slana, Senior Adviser on the Office for Equal Opportunities, Slovenia
  • Paula Sanchez Martín, Adviser of the Valencian Regional President, Valencia Regional Government, Spain
  • Shqipe Krasniqi, Executive Director of Agency for Gender Equality - Government, Kosovo
  • Dimitra Kogidou, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Ana Couto, MP of the Socialist Parliamentary Group, Portugal

Signatory European and International Organisations

Signatory National Organisations

Signatory Individuals

  • Sophie Lainé, European Policy Advisor of Women Rough Sleepers (Daphne III funded initiative)
  • Pierrette Pape, EWL Policy Officer and Project Coordinator
  • Vânia Duarte
  • Benedetta Pagotto
  • Dominika Strzyz
  • Michele Levoy, PICUM
  • Madalena Madeira
  • Mary Van Dievel, Mental Health Europe
  • Azghoud loubna
  • Shahida Choudhry, Womens Networking Hub
  • Manderscheid Karin, Femmes en Détresse asbl Luxembourg
  • Sireyjol Anne, Fédération Internationale des Femmes des Carriéres Juridiques
  • Dusanka Zutic, Age platform Europe Serbia
  • Malgorzata Danicka
  • Hugrun R. Hjaltadottir, Centre for Gender Equaltiy
  • Malgorzata Danicka, Porozumienie Kobiet 8 Marca
  • Pawe? Szczepura
  • Elzbieta Smolenska
  • Muhammad khichi, Social Welfare & Community Development Society (SWCDS)
  • Tabrani Yunis, Center for Community Development and Education (CCDE)
  • Evangelia Vlami, Lesbian for Equality
  • Dhruba Prasad Ghimire , Rural Women’s Network Nepal (RUWON Nepal)
  • Merope Kapsali
  • Ann Henderson, Scottish TUC
  • Anna Dryja?ska, Congress of Women / Kongres Kobiet
  • Boguslawa Durajska
  • Cplm Dempsey, Violence Against Women 365 International Poster Exhibition
  • Iza Desperak, Informal Gender Lodz group
  • Riet De Baets, Zonta International
  • Alicia Masia Moreno
  • Vivien Green
  • Radha Paudel, Action Works Nepal
  • Nieves González Ramón
  • Carolina Albuerne Rodriguez
  • Christina Koumi, Officer/Teacher
  • Danijela Dugandzic Zivanovic, Directress of Association for Art and Culture CRVENA
  • Veronika Jones
  • Kate Boyle, Information executive of Citizens Information Board
  • Marta Martínez
  • Leen Scheerlinck, Director of Nederlandstalige Vrouwenraad
  • Annemoon van Noorden, Hulpverlener of VieJa Utrecht
  • Marta Pinto, Policy Officer of ERIO - European Roma Information Office
  • Georgia Tsaklanganos, Civil liberties adviser for the Greens/EFA group in the EP
  • Francesca de Paula, Porject Manager of Formaper
  • Virginia Lopez Calvo, Coordinator of Roj Women’s Association
  • Christina Grimme
  • Elisabetta coscia, Trainee Amazone
  • Rolf Stuber
  • Marika Loughlin, Student of Sociology
  • Luis Pombo
  • Lorraine Mirham, UK International Board Member WILPF
  • Anna Fisher
  • Mary Alys, Branch Contact of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (Leicester Branch)
  • Antonia Sani, President italien Section of Womens International League for Peace and Freedom
  • Martin Witlake
  • Helen Kay, UK Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom - Scottish branch
  • Lyda Verstegen, President of the International Alliance of Women
  • Annamarie Foley, General Manager of ADAPT Kerry Limited
  • Roisin Robertson, Hon. Secretary of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
  • Denise Contini, WILPF Member
  • Ana Puy, Associate professor of social Psychology and Head of the Gender Equaility Office at University of La Laguna (Tenerife, Spain)
  • Vesna Jaric, Gender Advisor of Combating Sexual and Gender Based Violence
  • Leroy Liliane, Chargée d’etude of Femmes Prévoyantes Socialistes
  • Raffaela Donnini
  • Conny Bergé, Project Coordinator of PEP International Foundation
  • Jessica Burnham, Women’s Empowerment Specialist of Worldwide Organization for Women
  • Lene Pind, Secretary General of International Alliance of Women
  • Sabine Scherbaum, Party leader of Feministische Partei DIE FRAUEN
  • Jana Hainsworth, Secretary General of Eurochild
  • Chris Green, Director of White Ribbon Campaign
  • Rosemary Hindle, Development Executive (External Relations) of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (Europe Region)
  • Marisa Figueiredo, Journalist
  • Emina Hadzic, Director of Institute Circle
  • Sophie Crowe
  • Christina Pantzou, Journalist
  • Malgorzata Tarasiewicz, Director of Network of East West Women
  • Emina Cejvan, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina Women
  • lorraine Bowler
  • Iliana Balabanova-Stoicheva, PR and Project Coordinator of Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation
  • Wiebke Doering, Co-Director of Terre Des Femmes Schweiz
  • Roselyne Bourgon
  • Hela Khomsi, President of Ligue Française de la Femme Musulmane
  • Barbara Terenzi, Coordinator of Comitato per la promozione e protezione dei diritti umani
  • Sudaba Shiraliyeva, Director of Center Women and Modern World
  • Haxhije Ajvazi , Chairwomen of a branch of Islamic Youth Forum Macedonia
  • Aslihan Tekin
  • Boboc mioara, Secretary of Forum of Muslim Women from Romania
  • Ben Hassine Cherifa, Asociación de Mujeres Musulmanas ANNUR
  • Lengema Feza
  • Naredo Covadonga, Expert violence against women of Assotation Women Word Iqualite
  • Jasminka Popovska, Executive Director of CSO Local Development Agency, Struga, Macedonia
  • Selma Acuner , NGO member of KADER
  • Richard Koehler, Co-chair of Transgender Europe – TGEU
  • Marcela Bratosin, Asociatia Euromediu si Dezvoltare Sociala
  • Helena Clark, Community Development worker of Kerry Travellers development Project
  • Tanja Noponen
  • Christine Hirtl, Project manager of Women´s Health Center
  • Roberta Crescenzo
  • Suzannah Young
  • Madge O’Callaghan
  • Natalija Petric, Legal advisor of United Women
  • Pia Nyman, Political Secretary
  • Maria Thorsnes
  • Carolina Garcia
  • Jacqui O’Riordan
  • Marisa Iannucci, Association LIFE onlus
  • Ann J. Simonton, Coordinator of Non profit of Media Watch
  • Sarah de Hovre, Consultant Human Rights and Gender
  • Marie-Hélène Franjou, Pediatrician
  • Sharon Hickey
  • Gaelle Sundelin, Volunteer of Serve the City
  • Christine Dagain, Vice-President of Soroptimist International
  • Sylvie Merle
  • Daphne Bland
  • Eveline Houg
  • Núria Francolí, Research officer
  • Tom Rottinghuis
  • Tina Koskinen
  • Henrik Andersson
  • Hawa Sidibe, President of Association Pour Le Développement et de la Promotion des Droits Humains
  • Jolien Fleerackers
  • Greetje Van der Veer
  • Consorcia de Leon Scholtz, Founder President of World Mission for Peace & Development
  • Andrea Tauber, Project Manager
  • Isabelle George, University Professor
  • Dessart Delphine, Social Worker
  • Dulce Correia, School Teacher
  • Dora Tsioli Artemi, Business Director
  • Fabian Dalma, FEANTSA
  • Magdalena Garczynska, Technical Manager
  • Vesna Sekulik, President of the NGO Women Safety House Nora
  • Henk Pietersma, National, all round ICT manager
  • Anita Myfanwy
  • Ana Kandi, Member of League of Social-democrats of Vojvodina, Serbia
  • Karin Petersson
  • Sandra Naaf, Researcher of Istituto per la Richerca Sociale
  • Maria Evangelidou
  • Iulia Pascu
  • Pinelopi Kouloglou, MA student
  • Luisa Zappella, President of EUDIFITALIA
  • Eva Valentova, Expert for International Cooperation of Association for Integration and Migration
  • Tapuwa Bridget Makande, President and Founder of Nozizwe vzw
  • Roselyne Parker
  • Aleid Van Den Brink, Directeur-bestuurder en dutch member of the EWL Observatory on Violence against Women, Blijf Groep en NRV (Nederlandse Vrouwen Raad)
  • Lily Greenan, Executive Director of Scottish Women’s Aid
  • Anna Vouyoukas ,Social scientist - board member of national NGO of DIOTIMA, Centre for Research on Women’s Issues
  • Brigitte Triems, EWL President
  • Nancy McLennan
  • Lucia Cucciarelli, President of an Association of active citizenship, Tulip Project
  • Anna Reymondeaux, Student
  • Giovanni Fiorella, Writter
  • Louise Deumer, Board Member of IAW International Alliance of Women
  • Caroline Adomo, Attachée Parlementaire – Sénat
  • Francoise Morvan, Vice presidente de la Coordination française pour le Lobby européen des femmes
  • Pauline Leroyer, Stagiaire-Etudiante en droit
  • Lea Bages, student
  • Cécile Werey, Etudiante
  • Can Korkut, Etudiante en droit
  • Joan Ribi, Director of International Institute for Gender Studies, Malta
  • Wiebcke Doering, Co-Director of Terre de Femmes Schweiz
  • Sophie Lainé, European Policy Advisor of Women Rough Sleepers (Daphne III funded initiative)
  • Dhruba Prasad Ghimire, Rural Women’s Network Nepal (RUWON ), Nepal
  • Jacqueline Cawston, Senior Business Development Manager of Serious Games Institute, England
  • Gerda In’tVeld-Koelman, Senior Citizen of the WMO-adviesgroep The Hague, Netherlands
  • Eva Fager, Vice-President of EWL
  • Jonathan Deschamps, Président d’association
  • Altamira Guelbenzu, student lawyer
  • Marie-Christine Exsteyl, Conseillère égalité FOREM; vice-présidente de P.O.
  • Lillian Zellou, President of Soroptimist International Greek Union
  • Lamis Nasser, President of Human Forum for Women’s Rights
  • Eze Ugoji, Advocacy of Eng Aja Eze Foundation
  • Francisco Javier García Checa
  • Linda Brockett
  • Line Boisdur
  • Pilar Gonzalez Retuerto
  • Rose-Marie Ruiter
  • Yari Esmail, Director of European Organization of Iranian Refugees
  • Gunnel Perly Svedberg, National Trafficking Coordinator, Reception Unit of Swedish Migrationboard
  • Omar Faruque Chowdhury, Migration of Ovibashi karmi unnayan Program (OKUP)
  • Michie Val, to raise awareness of and advocate on behalf of female victims of modern day slavery, Soroptimist International (Yorkshire)
  • Ana Costa
  • Tjasa Bertoncelj
  • Filedt Kok-Weimar Tonny Louise, Chaiman of the International Advisory Committee of the Netherlands Council of Women and EWLBoard member of Netherlands Council of Women
  • Eliane Lagasse, President Soroptimist International of Europe
  • Alexandra Silva , EWL Board member, Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights
  • Bea Rabe , SI/E Representative to the EWL/LEF, Soroptimist International of Europe
  • Margarida Medina Martins, Board Member of Associação de Mulheres Contra a Violência – AMCV
  • Raffaella Bianchi, Assistant Professor in Political Science of Zirve University
  • Matei Miruna
  • Gulriz Ozyildirim, Soroptimist International of Bosphorus
  • Vincent Soubeyran
  • Madlina Puka, Executive Director of Center for Research Cooperation and Development - CRCD- ALBANIA
  • Helene Guerin
  • Pernici Elodie
  • Afërdita Haxhijaha Imeri of DESIDE
  • Camila Spadavecchia
  • Eva Fager, Vice-president of EWL
  • Myriam Chuquin , ASERB ABSL Asociation des Equatoriens residents a Bruxelles
  • Claudine Tockert
  • Michele Vianes , Regards de femmes
  • Elodie Lemoigne
  • Dorsaf Ben Dhiab, Trésorière/responsable PR of European Forum Of Muslim Women/Forum Européen des Femmes musulmanes
  • Walter Censi, Fonctionnaire of the Commission européenne
  • Nathalie Yates, student
  • Jorge Mejía Diez
  • Xavier Mondon
  • Pierre Courbe
  • Michele Fort
  • Nadine Andre
  • Marie Duffort
  • Samir Djaiz, Secrétaire Général of Plate Forme Migrants et Citoyenneté Européenn
  • Laetitia Martig-Deces
  • Linda Mancecau
  • Gülser Öztunali Kayir, Enseignante Prof.Dr. of Antalya Centre de Solidarite et Conseil de Femme
  • Marjory Y.L.
  • Eugenia Carrara, Spécialiste en questions de Génre, FLACSO
  • Annette Ntignoi , Présidente of Le collectif des femmes africaines du Hainaut
  • Sandrine Apers, Présidente d’association of Association Le Monde à Travers un Regard
  • Michel Carriere
  • Astrid Tuncky
  • Philippe Portier, Responsable Syndical of FGMM-CFDT
  • Luc Helin
  • Nejia Sghir
  • Alizé Collet
  • Louise Goffin
  • M ohamed el Amine Benmouaz
  • Alain Benoit
  • Magali Duval
  • Elena Thomas , Directrice of Cabinet Conseil
  • Badou Ortega
  • Héloïse Galili
  • Germaine-Maëva Custinne, Administrateur of FIRE-FeC Général Asbl - Force, Interculturalité, Renforcement de l’Empowerment de la Femme d’origine Congolaise en Général
  • Luisa Soriano
  • Dominique Schillings

Agenda

November 2024 :

Nothing for this month

October 2024 | December 2024

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