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Stop all forms of gender-based violence: A manifesto for an inclusive and comprehensive EU gender-based violence policy for all

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.

In the lead up to International Women’s Day, 8 March, and the expected publication of a draft EU law to address violence against women and domestic violence, the under-signed organisations have adopted this manifesto for a truly inclusive EU law and policy. We 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.
  • 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. 

List of organisations

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 РUnịo de Mulheres Alternativa e Resposta РPortugal
  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