EWL Lobbying kit for the nomination of 5 new GREVIO experts
[Brussels, 6 February 2018] The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) has launched a Lobbying kit for a transparent process of nomination of 5 new independent experts to the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO); the panel of independent experts responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, the Istanbul Convention.
In consultation with the EWL Observatory experts, the EWL has produced this Lobbying Kit which aims to provide EWL members, members of the partner NGOs in the European Coalition to end violence against women and girls, and other women’s organisations with tips and advice to lobby for a transparent and open competition process that leads to the nomination of GREVIO experts with solid expertise on violence against women and girls, a strong feminist background and progressive and intersectional views, within the preferred criteria.
At present there are 10 GREVIO members from 10 ratifying nations: Turkey, Serbia, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Albania, Montenegro & Malta. As per the Rules of Procedure for the election of GREVIO members, with the 25th ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2017, 5 new members must now be elected to the Independent expert body.
All parties to the Convention who do not currently have a national among the GREVIO members have been invited by an official letter to submit a maximum of 3 applications for qualified candidates.
The countries eligible to do this are as follows:
Andorra, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Georgia, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.
The EWL Lobbying kit includes a template of a letter to call for a transparent election process. This letter can be adjusted and modified freely to adjust it to the specific situation in the different countries countries and that can be sent to the body in charge of entering nominations.
The deadline for nominations by the national coordinating bodies is 15th March 2018 and the elections of the 5 new members which will be conducted by the Committee of the Parties is currently scheduled to take place in May.
