On International Women's Day (8 March), ESWA is proud to launch this manifesto for a truly inclusive EU law and policy, in partnership with the more than 130 undersigned organisations that have adopted it.
Stop All Forms Of Gender-Based Violence: A manifesto for an inclusive and comprehensive EU gender-based violence policy for all
Together we call on the European Union to adopt a forward-thinking and truly inclusive approach to gender-based violence - that leaves no one behind and strives to achieve real change in the lives of all people, without discrimination. To meaningfully address gender-based violence in the European Union, we must promote inclusion, safety, protection, well-being and effective remedies for those most at risk.
Our launch coincides with the expected publication of a draft EU law to address violence against women and domestic violence. ESWA and our fellow signatories welcome the leadership of the European Commission in taking action, and the engagement of the European Parliament, and urge everyone who will be involved in this effort to take an inclusive and intersectional feminist approach.
People facing marginalisation and intersectional discrimination - such as racialised women, women with disabilities, sex workers, those of lower socio-economic status, experiencing homelessness, with precarious or irregular migration status, as well as people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identities and expressions and sex characteristics including trans and non-binary people, are among the most at risk of gender-based violence and least protected and supported by existing efforts to prevent and tackle violence and other harm.
Measures that aim to address gender-based violence by focusing on increasing criminalisation, policing and incarceration can make many people and communities more vulnerable, reproducing structural, institutional and interpersonal discrimination and violence.
We urge the European Union decision makers to strive for an ambitious and comprehensive package of legal, policy and financial measures to address gender-based violence and to ensure victims’ rights that:
- Centres the perspectives, concerns and recommendations of those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.
- Takes an intersectional and rights-based approach, recognising that to achieve gender equality and freedom from gender-based violence and protect fundamental rights for all, we have to address all forms of violence, in particular when linked to gender, gender identity and expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, age, disability, class, religion and migration status, and that those who experience intersectional discrimination face greater vulnerability to all forms of gender-based violence and domestic violence.
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Addresses structural and historical harms and drivers of gender-based violence, and underlying issues such as poverty and oppression, including those created, enabled and normalised by states.
- Addresses the laws, policies, practices and by-laws that discourage and prevent victims from reporting - such as those that criminalise aspects of sex work including clients, migration and homelessness - or that deny survivors access to essential sexual and reproductive health services, as well as gender-based and intersectional violence perpetrated by police.
- This requires review and reform of such laws, policies, practices and by-laws as well as specific measures to promote inclusion, safety, well-being, remedy and reparations for particularly affected groups, including in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the increased powers of the police and requirement to present personal identity and vaccination documents increase the risk of policing of marginalised groups.
- Prioritises a social, community and survivor-centred approach over further criminalisation, invests in holistic social and support services, including mental health and sexual and reproductive health care, social protection and harm reduction, information provision, community interventions, and mechanisms that enable people to access services, remedies and stability, including residence status, without conditions or requirements to engage with law enforcement and the criminal legal system. Ensures that all women as well as people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identities and expressions and sex characteristics fleeing violence are able to access safe, suitable and stable accommodation and other support services without furthering the cycle of abuse.
- Addresses harmful practices such as female genital mutilation; human trafficking; and non-consensual medical interventions such as forced abortion, forced contraception, forced sterilisation, intersex genital mutilation, forced gender reassignment, through this rights-based and intersectional feminist approach.
- Ensures safety and protection for people who do wish to engage with authorities and with the criminal legal system, protection from secondary victimisation, including sanctions, penalties and immigration enforcement, and ensures accessibility of the justice system and procedural accommodation for victims, including people with disabilities.
- Does not fall behind, and rather builds upon, existing European standards, including the Istanbul Convention and the Victims’ Rights Directive.
All civil society organisations and Members of European Parliament are invited to join us – sign up to the manifesto HERE.
Signed by the following European and International Networks and Organisations:
Amnesty International
ASTRA Network
Center for Reproductive Rights
Correlation - European Harm Reduction Network
Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice (Equinox)
EU Civil Society Forum on HIV, TB and Hep
Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA)
European AIDS Treatment Group
European Anti-Poverty Network
European Disability Forum
European Federation of Organisations working with Homeless People (FEANTSA)
European Liberals for Reform
European Network Against Racism (ENAR)
European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA)
FAAAT think & do tank
Fair Trials
GAMBE - supporting migrant women
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women
Harm Reduction International
HIV Justice Network
International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN)
La Strada International - European NGO Platform against trafficking in human beings
Mama Cash
Organisation Intersex International Europe (OII Europe)
Red Umbrella Fund
Regional Implementation Initiative on Preventing & Combating Human Trafficking
Sex Workers' Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN)
TAMPEP- European Network for the Promotion of Health and Rights among Migrant Sex Workers
TGEU – Transgender Europe
The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe)
Signed by the following National-level Networks and Organisations:
Ação Pela Identidade - Portugal
ACCEPT Romania – Romania
Act Up-Paris - France
ADPARE – Romania
Alma-TQ - Kazakhstan
APOYO POSITIVO - Spain
Asociación Por ti mujer - Spain
Association for Support of Marginalized Workers STAR-STAR Skopje - North Macedonia
Association HERA XXI, MA IPPF – Georgia
Association of Hungarian Sex-Workers (SZEXE) - Hungary
Association SKUC - Slovenia
ASTRA-Anti trafficking action – Serbia
Ban Ying e.V. - Germany
BASIS-Projekt - Germany
Bilitis Resource Center Foundation – Bulgaria
Brazilian association of LGBTQIA+ (ABGLT) - Brazil
Bundesverband Trans* (BVT*) - Germany
CATNPUD - Catalan network of people who use drugs - Spain
Çavaria - Belgium (Flanders)
Center Women and Modern World - Azerbaijan
CESI - Center for Education, Counselling and Research – Croatia
CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality - The Netherlands
Comitato per i Diritti Civili delle Prostitute – Italy
Comite de Apoyo a las Trabajadoras del Sexo (CATS) - Spain
Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras – Spain
Deutsche Aidshilfe – Germany
Deutscher Frauenrat/National Council of German Women's Organizations – Germany
Dharma & Martia - The United Kingdom
Društvo Legebitra – Slovenia
Društvo za pomoč in samopomoč brezdomcev Kralji ulice – Slovenia
E-Romnja Association (The Association for Promoting Roma Women's Rights) - Romania
Espace P... ASBL – Belgium
EUFORIA. Familias Trans-Aliadas – Spain
Euphoria Trans – Italy
European anti-poverty network Czech Republic - Czech Republic
European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) - Germany
European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) - Greece
Fair Work – The Netherlands
Family Planning Association of Moldova - Moldova
Feminist Mobilizations - Bulgaria
Fondazione LILA Milano - Italian League for Fighting AIDS – Italy
Fossil Free Culture - The Netherlands
Foundation Solidarity Works – Bulgaria
Frauenhauskoordinierung e.V. - Germany
Fundação Portuguesa "A Comunidade Contra a Sida" - Portugal
Greek Forum of Refugees - Greece
Greek Transgender Support Association (GTSA) - Greece
Gruppo Trans APS - Italy
Health and social development Foundation - Bulgaria
Homosexuelle Initiative (HOSI) Wien - Austria
HPLGBT - Ukraine
Initiative Group LGBT “Revers” - Russia
Internationale Vereinigung Intergeschlechtlicher Menschen - OII Germany e. V. - Germany
KOK - German NGO Network against Trafficking in Human Beings - Germany
LEFÖ - Counselling, Education and Support for Migrant Women - Austria
Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany LSVD - Germany
LGBTI+ Gozo - Malta
Life Quality Improvement Organisation Flight - Croatia
LILA Lega Italiana per la Lotta contro l'AIDS - Italia
Lysistrada Fachstelle für Sexarbeit, Olten, CH - Switzerland
Metzineres SCCL - Spain
MIT (Movimento Identità Trans) - Italy
Moluccan Council of Women (MVR) – The Netherlands
Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) - Ireland
MozaiQ LGBT Association - Romania
Mujeres Supervivientes de violencias de género – Spain
Nacional Association of Travestis and Trans person from brazil - Brazil
National Ugly Mugs (NUM) – The United Kingdom
Nationale Armutskonferenz/ EAPN - Germany
NGO AIDSi Tugikeskus - Estonia
Österreichischer Frauenring (ÖFR) - Austria
PION - Prostituertes interesseorganisasjon i Norge - Norway
Positive Voice - Greece
Pro-tukipiste ry - Finland
RED AMINVI (RED DE APOYO A LA MUJER INMIGRANTE VICTIMA DE LA VIOLENCIA DE GENERO) - Spain
Red Edition - Migrant sex worker group, Vienna Austria - Austria
Red Umbrella Athens - Greece
Red Umbrella Sweden - Sweden
Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO - Armenia
Rutgers – The Netherlands
SeksWerkExpertise – The Netherlands
Sex Work Polska – Poland
Sex Workers Alliance Ireland - Ireland
Sex worker Forum Austria - Austria
SHOP (Stichting Hulp en Opvang Prostitutie en Mensenhandel) – The Netherlands
Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association - Turkey
Stichting EqualA Foundation – The Netherlands
Stichting Prostitutie Informatie Centrum - The Netherlands
STRASS - Syndicat du Travail Sexuel - France
TAMPEP Nederland - the Netherlands
TransAkcija Institute - Slovenia
Transfeminiinit ry - Transfeminina rf - Transfeminines NGO - Finland
Transgender Infopunt - Belgium
Transvanilla Transgender Association - Hungary
TransX - Austrian Transgender Association - Austria
Ugly Mugs Ireland - Ireland
UMAR - União de Mulheres Alternativa e Resposta - Portugal
Vatra Psycho-Social Center – Albania
Vote for a Woman Foundation (Stem op een Vrouw) - The Netherlands
WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform - The Netherlands
Women's resource center,Armenia NGO - Armenia
Zagreb Pride - Croatia
И Г Опора ЛЮБВИ - Russia
Российский Форум секс-работников - Russia
