Project presentation

The project aims to reach the following objectives through the collaboration of the three feminist organizations:

• strengthening the capacity to protect and promote EU rights and values;
• a better developed advocacy and watchdog role of NGOs;
• increasing citizens' awareness of EU rights and values;
• strengthening regional cooperation within civil society.

As partners in the project, Romanian Women's Lobby will collect examples of good practices at the national level, will elaborate and communicate to the newly elected members of the European Parliament the strategic feminist priorities.
We will also develop recommendations for NGOs on how to support the promotion of women in national parliaments; we will organize trainings for ROWL member organizations on how to support women in politics, we will organize advocacy and awareness campaigns in Romania to raise awareness about the equal representation of women in the decision-making process before the elections for national parliaments .
Women4Advancement is a project funded by the European Women's Lobby through the Membership Support Regranting Scheme with European Union funds and will run from July to November 2024

Result

O1.1. Collecting good practices on how to promote women in politics

The partner organizations have selected a set of good practices collected from their countries with the aim of presenting initiatives that promote the equal and inclusive representation of women in the political decision-making process.

The document can be consulted HERE

O1.2. Online webinar for the presentation and discussion of good practices for the promotion of women in politics.

O2.1. Appeal to members of the European Parliament

O2.2. Public policy recommendations

Achieving gender parity in political representation remains an aspiration and requires concerted efforts from civil society, political parties and governments alike. Romanian Womențs Lobby together with the partner organizations from Lithuania - Lithuanian Women's Lobby Organization (LWLO) and Austria - Österreichischer Frauenring (AFR) propose a set of Public Policy Recommendations for civil society organizations.

We thus respond with a working tool for NGOs fighting for women's rights. In Romania, Austria and Lithuania, women remain underrepresented in political decision-making positions, although efforts are being made to address this imbalance According to the gender equality index developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality, gender inequalities are most pronounced in the field power, the EU average of women in parliaments being only 33 percent. Lithuania's efforts are mirrored by those in Austria and Romania, with a focus on both short-term and long-term policies to support greater involvement of women in political decision-making, improve communication with politicians and promote positive attitudes among voters compared to women in politics.

The main objectives of the recommendations:

• Increasing women's representation in political decision-making
• Empowering women to actively participate in political life
• Promoting a gender sensitive political environment
• Strengthening civic engagement and voter support for women
• Promoting inclusive and diverse political participation
• Improving collaboration between women's NGOs and political institutions

The document can be found HERE

“Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.”

_________________________________________________________________________________

19 jun 2024

Strategic feminist priorities for a fair and equal Europe

Why is it important❓

● Only 33.4% of ministers in the EU are women.
● Only 32% of company board members are women and board presidents – only 8%.
● The average pay gap between men and women in the EU is 13% and growing.
● The average gap in the pension system in Europe is 30%, between men and women.
● Women spent 2.6 times more time than a man on an unpaid care service.
● 1 in 3 women have suffered from physical or sexual violence.

We ask the Romanian MEPs to keep women's rights at the forefront of the political agenda, at the beginning of the new session of the European Parliament.

We ask the representatives of the Romanian citizens in the European Parliament to engage in the promotion of equality between men and women. It is essential to ensure that women's rights are respected in EU decision-making.
We want a Europe where women and girls, in all their diversity, enjoy equal rights and equal participation in every field and at all levels of society, free from all forms of discrimination, oppression and exploitation.

We ask you, as members of the European Parliament, to consider the diversity of real-life concerns of women and girls in the law-making process and to keep women's rights at the forefront of the political agenda!

We are asking for your support for the following major initiatives:
• Ensuring the equal representation of women in the decision-making functions of the European institutions;
• Appointment of a Commissioner for Equality with a portfolio dedicated to women's rights;
• Renewing the Strategy for gender equality 2020-2025 with an adequate budget;
• Appointment of an EU Coordinator for combating violence against women and girls;
The implementation of these measures would bring significant benefits, including impact on economic growth and an increased employment rate in the EU. And first of all: Democracy, social justice, equal exercise of human rights.
These requests are also addressed to the MEPs from other member states by our colleagues from the partner organizations: Lithuanian Women's Lobby / Lietuvos svetni lobistinė organization (LWLO) and Österreichischer Frauenring (AFR)

#5050Campaign #WomenInPowerattheEU #WomenInSolidarity

The Romanian Women's Lobby sent an open letter to the Romanian MEPs in which they communicated the strategic feminist priorities for a fair and equal Europe and requested support for major initiatives regarding equality between women and men, at the EU level.
The letter can be seen here: https://drive.google.com/.../1gHK2ELvLa78G1ZDBP1f.../view... See less