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Stop all forms of gender-based violence: Fair Trials & 133 organisations call for an inclusive EU policy

Article by Fair Trials

Today, on International Women’s Day, Fair Trials and 133 other civil society organisations call for  an inclusive and comprehensive EU gender-based violence policy for all.

Together we urge 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. We call for a package of measures that:

  • Centres the perspectives, concerns and recommendations of those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination;
  • Takes an intersectional and rights-based approach;
  • 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;
  • Prioritises a social, community and survivor-centred approach over further criminalisation, invests in holistic social and support services;
  • Addresses harmful practices such as female genital mutilation; human trafficking; and non-consensual medical interventions 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.

Read the full manifesto here.

As of 7 March 2022, the manifesto has been signed by the following:

European/ international networks and organisations

  1. Amnesty International
  2. ASTRA Network
  3. Center for Reproductive Rights
  4. Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network
  5. Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice (Equinox)
  6. EU Civil Society Forum on HIV, TB and Hep
  7. Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA)
  8. European AIDS Treatment Group
  9. European Anti-Poverty Network
  10. European Disability Forum
  11. European Federation of Organisations working with Homeless People (FEANTSA)
  12. European Liberals for Reform
  13. European Network Against Racism (ENAR)
  14. European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA)
  15. FAAAT think & do tank
  16. Fair Trials
  17. GAMBE – supporting migrant women
  18. Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women
  19. Harm Reduction International
  20. HIV Justice Network
  21. International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN)
  22. La Strada International – European NGO Platform against trafficking in human beings
  23. Mama Cash
  24. Organisation Intersex International Europe (OII Europe)
  25. Red Umbrella Fund
  26. Regional Implementation Initiative on Preventing & Combating Human Trafficking
  27. Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN)
  28. TAMPEP- European Network for the Promotion of Health and Rights among Migrant Sex Workers
  29. TGEU – Transgender Europe
  30. The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe)

National level networks and organisations

  1. Ação Pela Identidade – Portugal
  2. ACCEPT Romania – Romania
  3. Act Up-Paris – France
  4. ADPARE – Romania
  5. Alma-TQ – Kazakhstan
  6. APOYO POSITIVO – Spain
  7. Asociación Por ti mujer – Spain
  8. Association for Support of Marginalized Workers STAR-STAR Skopje – North Macedonia
  9. Association HERA XXI, MA IPPF – Georgia
  10. Association of Hungarian Sex-Workers (SZEXE) – Hungary
  11. Association SKUC – Slovenia
  12. ASTRA-Anti trafficking action – Serbia
  13. Ban Ying e.V. – Germany
  14. BASIS-Projekt – Germany
  15. Bilitis Resource Center Foundation – Bulgaria
  16. Brazilian association of LGBTQIA+ (ABGLT) – Brazil
  17. Bundesverband Trans* (BVT*) – Germany
  18. CATNPUD – Catalan network of people who use drugs – Spain
  19. Çavaria – Belgium (Flanders)
  20. Center Women and Modern World – Azerbaijan
  21. CESI – Center for Education, Counselling and Research – Croatia
  22. CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality – The Netherlands
  23. Comitato per i Diritti Civili delle Prostitute – Italy
  24. Comite de Apoyo a las Trabajadoras del Sexo (CATS) – Spain
  25. Confederación Sindical de Comisiones Obreras – Spain
  26. Deutsche Aidshilfe – Germany
  27. Deutscher Frauenrat/National Council of German Women’s Organizations – Germany
  28. Dharma & Martia – The United Kingdom
  29. Društvo Legebitra – Slovenia
  30. Društvo za pomoč in samopomoč brezdomcev Kralji ulice – Slovenia
  31. E-Romnja Association (The Association for Promoting Roma Women’s Rights) – Romania
  32. Espace P… ASBL – Belgium
  33. EUFORIA. Familias Trans-Aliadas – Spain
  34. Euphoria Trans – Italy
  35. European anti-poverty network Czech Republic – Czech Republic
  36. European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) – Germany
  37. European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) – Greece
  38. Fair Work – The Netherlands
  39. Family Planning Association of Moldova – Moldova
  40. Feminist Mobilizations – Bulgaria
  41. Fondazione LILA Milano – Italian League for Fighting AIDS – Italy
  42. Fossil Free Culture – The Netherlands
  43. Foundation Solidarity Works – Bulgaria
  44. Frauenhauskoordinierung e.V. – Germany
  45. Fundação Portuguesa “A Comunidade Contra a Sida” – Portugal
  46. Greek Forum of Refugees – Greece
  47. Greek Transgender Support Association (GTSA) – Greece
  48. Gruppo Trans APS – Italy
  49. Health and social development Foundation – Bulgaria
  50. Homosexuelle Initiative (HOSI) Wien – Austria
  51. HPLGBT – Ukraine
  52. Initiative Group LGBT “Revers” – Russia
  53. Internationale Vereinigung Intergeschlechtlicher Menschen – OII Germany e. V. – Germany
  54. KOK – German NGO Network against Trafficking in Human Beings – Germany
  55. LEFÖ – Counselling, Education and Support for Migrant Women – Austria
  56. Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany LSVD – Germany
  57. LGBTI+ Gozo – Malta
  58. Life Quality Improvement Organisation Flight – Croatia
  59. LILA Lega Italiana per la Lotta contro l’AIDS – Italia
  60. Lysistrada Fachstelle für Sexarbeit, Olten, CH – Switzerland
  61. Metzineres SCCL – Spain
  62. MIT (Movimento Identità Trans) – Italy
  63. Moluccan Council of Women (MVR) – The Netherlands
  64. Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) – Ireland
  65. MozaiQ LGBT Association – Romania
  66. Mujeres Supervivientes de violencias de género – Spain
  67. Nacional Association of Travestis and Trans person from brazil – Brazil
  68. National Ugly Mugs (NUM) – The United Kingdom
  69. Nationale Armutskonferenz/ EAPN – Germany
  70. NGO AIDSi Tugikeskus – Estonia
  71. Österreichischer Frauenring (ÖFR) – Austria
  72. PION – Prostituertes interesseorganisasjon i Norge – Norway
  73. Positive Voice – Greece
  74. Pro-tukipiste ry – Finland
  75. RED AMINVI (RED DE APOYO A LA MUJER INMIGRANTE VICTIMA DE LA VIOLENCIA DE GENERO) – Spain
  76. Red Edition – Migrant sex worker group, Vienna Austria – Austria
  77. Red Umbrella Athens – Greece
  78. Red Umbrella Sweden – Sweden
  79. Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO – Armenia
  80. Rutgers – The Netherlands
  81. SeksWerkExpertise – The Netherlands
  82. Sex Work Polska – Poland
  83. Sex Workers Alliance Ireland – Ireland
  84. Sex worker Forum Austria – Austria
  85. SHOP (Stichting Hulp en Opvang Prostitutie en Mensenhandel) – The Netherlands
  86. Social Policy, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Studies Association – Turkey
  87. Stichting EqualA Foundation – The Netherlands
  88. Stichting Prostitutie Informatie Centrum – The Netherlands
  89. STRASS – Syndicat du Travail Sexuel – France
  90. TAMPEP Nederland – the Netherlands
  91. TransAkcija Institute – Slovenia
  92. Transfeminiinit ry – Transfeminina rf – Transfeminines NGO – Finland
  93. Transgender Infopunt – Belgium
  94. Transvanilla Transgender Association – Hungary
  95. TransX – Austrian Transgender Association – Austria
  96. Ugly Mugs Ireland – Ireland
  97. UMAR – União de Mulheres Alternativa e Resposta – Portugal
  98. Vatra Psycho-Social Center – Albania
  99. Vote for a Woman Foundation (Stem op een Vrouw) – The Netherlands
  100. WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform – The Netherlands
  101. Women’s resource center,Armenia NGO – Armenia
  102. Zagreb Pride – Croatia
  103. И Г Опора ЛЮБВИ – Russia
  104. Российский Форум секс-работников – Russia