Press releases

Press release microphone icon For more info, background information, quotes or visual materials, or to organise an interview with our staff or members, do not hesitate to contact the EWL Communications and Media Officer Elvira Buijink via buijink@womenlobby.org.

  • EU leaders must protect discriminated groups in all walks of life

    EU leaders must protect discriminated groups in all walks of life

    [Brussels, 12 January 2012] The EU has thrown in the towel about protecting discriminated groups, including lesbian, gay and bisexual people, persons with disabilities, religious minorities, youth and older people. A coalition of European equality and anti-discrimination NGOs, including the European Women’s Lobby, now calls on the European Commission and the Danish Presidency of the EU to urgently take up this issue.
    The European Commission proposed a progressive EU anti-discrimination law (...) Read more

  • The lack of EU action on gender-violence is compounding the effect of the crisis on women, says European Women’s Lobby ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

    The lack of EU action on gender-violence is compounding the effect of the crisis on women, says European Women's Lobby ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

    [Brussels, 23 November 2011] Almost every other woman in the EU will experience male violence during her lifetime: One in five will fall victim to domestic violence; one in ten will be raped or forced into sexual acts. Violence against women – although rarely discussed or addressed – is the most widespread human rights abuse within the EU, and in times of recession such as these, things only get worse. On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on (...) Read more

  • Directive on Right to Family Reunification must not be reopened, say European Women’s Lobby and European Network of Migrant Women

    Directive on Right to Family Reunification must not be reopened, say European Women's Lobby and European Network of Migrant Women

    [Brussels, 10 November 2011] At a public hearing today in the European Parliament, European women’s associations are expected to take a strong stand against any potential renegotiation of European legislation concerning family reunification, which they fear will be to the detriment of migrant women, and to call on the member states to improve access and integration measures.
    ‘Given the current political climate in the member states, we are deeply concerned that any reopening of this (...) Read more

  • EWL delighted at award of Nobel Peace Prize to 3 women’s rights and peace activists

    EWL delighted at award of Nobel Peace Prize to 3 women's rights and peace activists

    [Brussels, 07 October 2011] The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is delighted at the announcement that this year’s Nobel Peace Prize will, for the first time ever, be awarded to three women for ‘their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work’. The winners are Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakul Karman of Yemen.
    ‘This award is a welcome recognition of the importance of the work of women’s associations (...) Read more

  • EWL welcomes election of first man to Chair of the EP’s Women’s Rights Committee and calls for continuity in strong and progressive leadership

    EWL welcomes election of first man to Chair of the EP's Women's Rights Committee and calls for continuity in strong and progressive leadership

    The European Women’s Lobby (EWL), the largest association of women’s rights organisations in the European Union (EU), yesterday welcomed the election of Swedish MEP Mikael Gustafsson (GUE/NGL) to the Chair of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) Committee of the European Parliament. Mr. Gustafsson takes over from Ms. Eva-Britt Svensson, with whom he ran for election in 2009 on a shared platform calling for a strengthened gender equality perspective in European politics and (...) Read more

  • EU must put an end to ‘hypocrisy’ and go from talk to effective action to end violence against women and girls in internal and external policies, say MEPs and NGOs

    EU must put an end to ‘hypocrisy' and go from talk to effective action to end violence against women and girls in internal and external policies, say MEPs and NGOs

    [Brussels, 21 September 2011] ‘We all have the right to live free from violence, and women face so many forms of violence. We just have to end it, and we know the EU has the means to do so.’ With these words Sirpa Pietikäinen, Member of the house (EPP/FI), opened the Roundtable in the European Parliament organised yesterday by the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the 11th International Women’s Health Meeting to explore and challenge (...) Read more

  • World Refugee Day: NGO coalition calls for new EU asylum agency to end discrimination

    [Brussels, 17 June 2011] On the eve of World Refugee Day, which is marked on 20 June, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) is taking charge of supporting the asylum processes of the EU. The current discriminatory and incoherent provision of protection across the EU and the lack of expertise on gender-related persecutions are putting individuals at risk.
    If the EASO is to ensure that the EU fulfils its obligations to protecting all those at risk whether man, woman, gay, lesbian or (...) Read more

  • European Women’s Lobby launches campaign to put an end to prostitution with video clip calling for a change of perspective

    European Women's Lobby launches campaign to put an end to prostitution with video clip calling for a change of perspective

    ‘If I had to have sex ten times a day with strangers for a living, at what point would I start to feel sick? From the beginning surely.’ So concludes the voice-over of a thought-provoking video clip launched today by the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) as part of its campaign to put an end to prostitution in Europe, which it considers a form of violence against women.
    Prostitution version ENG from Black Moon prod on Vimeo.
    The one-minute clip is the work of French film director Frédérique (...) Read more

  • Launch of European Campaign to END PROSTITUTION with video-clip by Patric Jean

    Attn: News Editor
    RE: Press Conference to launch Europe-wide campaign against prostitution
    [Brussels, 08 June 2011] The European Women’s Lobby, the largest umbrella organisation of women’s associations in the European Union, is pleased to invite you to a press conference on 17 June 2011 to launch its Europe-wide campaign to put an end to prostitution, which it considers to be a form of violence and oppression. The press conference will see the unveiling of a thought-provoking video clip (...) Read more

  • European Women’s Lobby Priorities for the Polish Presidency of the European Union

    European Women's Lobby Priorities for the Polish Presidency of the European Union

    [Brussels, 12 May 2011] On 01 July 2011, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) will pass from Hungary to Poland. The European Women’s Lobby (EWL), with more than 2500 member organisations the largest association of women’s organisations in the EU, calls on the Polish Presidency to continue to be a driving force for women’s rights in Europe and, in particular, to ensure progress in the adoption of gender-related legislation which is currently on the table, to ensure the full (...) Read more

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Latest video

EWL event "Progress towards a Europe free from all forms of male violence" to mark the 10th aniversary of the Istanbul Convention, 12 May 2021.

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