EWL News

News typewritter Latest news from the European Women’s Lobby in Brussels

EWL News
Women and girls must not pay the price for the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath

EWL Statement for the International Women’s Day 2021

Posted on 8 March 2021 |

“Women’s full, effective participation in public and political life, decision-making and leadership, including in the design and implementation of the EU’s response to this crisis, is crucial to eliminating male violence against women and girls and to ensure all their lived experiences and specific challenges are taken into account.”, stressed Gwendoline Lefebvre, President of the European Women’s Lobby.
On International Women’s Day 2021, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), the largest umbrella of (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL stands with our sisters across Poland

Posted on 29 January 2021 |

The EWL has been dismayed to hear of the intention of the Government in Poland to progress its ban on abortion.
We recognise that the vast majority of legal abortions in Poland are for reason of fatal foetal abnormality – i.e., cases where a much-wanted life is lost. Such tragedy should never be compounded by needing to seek back-alley surgery that further risks the health and life of the woman involved. Indeed, Poland has one of the highest rates of illegal abortions in the European Union. (...) Read more
EWL News
16 Days of Activism

A look back to events and activities organised by members and partners of the EWL

Posted on 18 December 2020 |

EWL members and partners joined forces with NGOs and women’s organisations around the world to mark the 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls.
[Brussels, 15 December 2020] Male violence against women and girls is a long-term systemic issue across the world. It is the most pervasive violation of women’s human rights that has life-long implications for women’s physical and mental health. There can be no peace and security while women fear for their safety in their homes, (...) Read more
EWL News
The EWL welcomes the adoption of the 7-year EU budget and the promotion of women’s rights

Posted on 17 December 2020 |

[Brussels, 17 December 2020] Last night, the European Parliament formally rubberstamped the political agreement reached with the European Council on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, including the EU’s €750 billion recovery instrument Next Generation EU. The EWL welcomes this long awaited decision after more than two years of negotiations amidst the increasing challenges to women’s rights by COVID-19 and across Europe.
This is an important win for women and girls in many (...) Read more
EWL News
Women of Europe Awards celebrate outstanding women leadership and solidarity across Europe

Posted on 2 December 2020 |

Brussels, [02.12.20] PRESS RELEASE: In the ceremony held this evening, Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya was awarded the Woman of Europe Award in the Woman in Power category. The award ceremony, the fifth annual Women of Europe Awards, was organised digitally by the European Movement International and the European Women’s Lobby.
See the full award ceremony here: https://bit.ly/33BhYAy.
According to the jury, representing extraordinary women in their own right from politics, business, civil society (...) Read more
EWL News
Rise up against violence!

EWL relaunches a petition urging the EU to ratify the Istanbul Convention

Posted on 25 November 2020 |

[Brussels, 25 November 2020] 25 November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (VAW) and the start of the 16 days of activism to end VAW. On this occasion, EWL is calling on all to sign the Rise Up against violence petition supported by WeMove Europe
Why is this important?
Male violence against women and girls is a long-term systemic issue across Europe. It is the most pervasive violation of women’s human rights, rooted in our societies’ culture of (...) Read more
EWL News
A tribute to Marie-Claude Vayssade, former President of la CLEF

Posted on 23 November 2020 |

It is with great sadness that EWL learned of the passing of Marie-Claude Vayssade on 11 November in France. Marie-Claude Vayssade was one of the first Presidents of la CLEF It is with sadness that we learned of the loss of Marie-Claude Vayssade, who passed away on 11 November in her 85th year. She was president of the CLEF from 1994 to 2000.
As a civil society leader from the age of 22, she entered into politics at a young age. Her activism got her involved in different fields, from the (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL’s Statement ahead of CSW65

Posted on 16 November 2020 |

[Brussels, November 2020] Ahead of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the European Women’s Lobby has prepared a statement to address the situation of women’s rights in 2020.
Read it in full here:
CSW65 will take place in a particular context: due to the current pandemic, CSW64 had to be scaled down to a one-day meeting and CSW65 will probably mostly happen online. Therefore, it is more important than ever to ensure the full and concrete participation of women’s (...) Read more
EWL News
EWL launches the Council of Europe’s Mobilise Against Sexism Campaign!

Posted on 30 October 2020 |

[Brussels, 30 October 2020] The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) has over the years taken the position that sexism reinforced by gender stereotypes is one of the factors that runs counter to achieving gender equality and the full recognition of women’s rights. The prevalence of sexism continues to suppress and oppress women and girls, whereby women and girls are subjected to all forms of violence to silence women and maintain them in a subordinate place. Male violence against women is clearly (...) Read more
EWL News
Remembering Ana Vale: EWL mourns the passing away of its first President Ana Vale, who passed away on Saturday 26 September 2020

Posted on 1 October 2020 |

It is with profound sadness that we learned of the passing of the European Women’s Lobby’s first President Ana Vale on Saturday 26 September 2020.
“The women’s movement lost a visionary woman who made so much for equality between women and men in the EU and in Portugal. Rest in power Ana Vale. 💜 " Ana Sofia Fernandes, Vice-President of the European Women’s Lobby President of the Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights
Women’s organisations across Europe have joined in paying tribute to a visionary (...) Read more