Statements

Statements podium These Statements lay out the EWL position on topical matters.

Statements
Historic moment and lost opportunity for women and girls in the EU

Release of a Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence

Posted on 23 March 2022 |

[Brussels, 22 March 2022] - The Brussels’ Call welcomes the release of a Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence launched by the European Commission on 8 March. While acknowledging this huge step towards a better protection of women and girls in Europe, the Brussels’ Call regrets that the legislative proposal does not legislate upon sexual exploitation of women nor include prostitution as a form of sexual exploitation.
Taking into consideration the Covid-19 (...) Read more
Statements
Period.

World Menstrual Hygiene Day: Statement

Posted on 28 May 2021 |

Blood – we all have it, and we all lose some of it from time to time. For many of us, this happens for a few days roughly every month, as normal as any other part of our lifecycle. Yet, stigma still surrounds women’s periods, leaving the topic as near taboo in so many societies across Europe and globally. This World Menstrual Hygiene Day, the EWL wants to confront the stigma and the taboo of periods and challenge their effects. No matter who or where you are, if you have a period, you should (...) Read more
Statements
Statement and Recommendations regarding the prevention and fight against sexism in the EU: Mobilising against sexism, to see it, name it and stop it

Posted on 15 April 2021 |

[Brussels, 15 April 2021] The European Women’s Lobby stands firm that fully implementing the women’s human rights, changing old ways of thinking and old patterns and structures of our society, including eradicating sex- and gender-based stereotypes, is core to ending sexism across European societies.
Mobilising against sexism to see it, name it and stop it– the motto of the Council of Europe’s campaign against sexism - is still highly needed, all over Europe.
Sexism is a significant obstacle (...) Read more
Statements
Respect. In disrespecting one woman, all women are disrespected.

Posted on 9 April 2021 |

[09 April 2021, Brussels] On 6 April, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, met in Ankara with the President of the Turkish Government, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. [However, in what seems to have been a deliberate diplomatic slight, there was no chair for her to sit at the official meeting.->https://www.politico.eu/article/sofagate-ursula-von-der-leyen-turkey-sofa-charles-michel-recep-tayyip-erdogan
Sadly, this (...) Read more
Statements
The EWL condemns the President of Turkey’s Decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention

Letter to HRVP Borrell and the Portuguese Presidency of the Council

Posted on 22 March 2021 |

Your Excellency High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, Your Excellency Portuguese Foreign Minister
We are writing to you concerning today’s EU Foreign Affairs Council, in which an exchange of views will be held on the Southern neighborhood and Turkey. We, the undersigned, are jointly writing to you as President and Vice-President of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), representing over 2,000 women’s associations across Europe, with members from EU Accession (...) Read more
Statements
Civil society proposals for a smart, sustainable and inclusive recovery

Posted on 14 May 2013 |

(Brussels 14 May 2013) The current European Semester and the formation of the Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs) are considered intensely problematic by many. The European Women’s Lobby, in concert with a host of Brussels based NGOs - EAPN, Eurochild, Eurodiaconia, Caritas Europa, EASPD, AGE-Platform, Green Budget Europe - is today attempting to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the European Semester. Civil society proposals for smart, sustainable and inclusive recovery are (...) Read more
Statements
European Women’s Lobby written statement for the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

Posted on 16 November 2012 |

The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is the largest umbrella organisation of women’s associations in the European Union (EU) and works to promote women’s rights and equality between women and men. We very much welcome the fact that the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) is the priority theme for the 57th session of CSW.
In a global context of economic and social crisis, where women and girls are at greater risk of experiencing male violence, the EWL (...) Read more
Statements
Eight priorities for the Irish Presidency of the EU

Posted on 8 November 2012 |

[Brussels, 07 November 2012] On 01 January 2013, Ireland will take on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The European Women’s Lobby calls on the forthcoming Presidency to be a driving force for women’s rights in Europe, especially in the current crisis, ensuring that further cutbacks which would have a long-term negative impact on gender equality are avoided or reversed.
The EWL has listed eight priorities for the Irish Presidency in the area of gender equality and women’s (...) Read more
Statements
EWL Statement to Russian Government: Free Pussy Riot NOW!

Posted on 10 August 2012 |

[Brussels, 10 August 2012] The litmus test of working democracy in any country is that the artists have the freedom of expression even when they criticise, make a satyr or openly mock official pillars of social and political power, such as the dominant church or the president of the state.
We want to believe that Russia has a real potential for becoming a democratic country.
We call on all relevant authorities of Russia, to pass this simple test. We are sure that you want the world to (...) Read more
Statements
EWL Statement on Self-Regulation of Advertising by the Cosmetics Industry

Posted on 4 July 2012 |

[Brussels, 04 July 2012] The European Women’s Lobby, the largest umbrella organisation of women’s associations in the European Union (EU), welcomes the adoption of a Charter and Guiding Principles on Responsible Advertising and Marketing Communication by the European cosmetics industry. While favouring binding measures at EU and national level to ensure respect for and promotion of women’s rights and gender equality in media output, the EWL is supportive of this initiative, and calls for (...) Read more