European Women’s Lobby

 

European Women’s Lobby

Working against trafficking and sexual exploitation of women

European Women’s Lobby

• Established in 1990

• Membership based women’s organisation from 28 countries + 19 European and International NGOs

• Largest umbrella organisation of women’s associations in the European Union (EU) working on a wide range of issues: VAW, economic and social policies, migration, parity democracy, etc

EWL structure

EWL Member organisations in Europe28 National Co-ordinations of women’s NGOs

19 European Member organisations

EWL General Assembly100 delegates EWL Board of

Administration 36 elected members

EWL Executive Committee 1 President, 3 Vice Presidents,

1 Treasurer, 2 members

EWL Secretariat based

in Brussels

European Policy Action Centre Against Violence Against Women

national observatories on VAW

Work of EWL to combat violence against women

- Creation of European Policy Action Centre on Violence against Women (EPAC-VAW)

- EU-wide Observatory of NGO experts who share best practices and identify emerging issues

- Supporting development of national EWL Observatories on VAW

- Conducting research seminars, conferences, campaigns

- Working with EU/Global institutions to combat VAW

EWL perspectives on Trafficking

A GENDER ISSUE

A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE, with links to immigration policies

Links between sex trafficking and prostitution

The Nordic Baltic Pilot project

• Developing victim-centred and durable models for support women victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation

• Regional model of inter-agency cooperation

Challenges

• Restrictive migration rules and border controls

• The sex industry, nourishing the sex trade

• Social exclusion

• Generality in approach to trafficking

• Lack of gender perspective in current law and policy

• Cooperation between NGOs and government agencies

• Gaps between States and regions in protection of VOTs