European Political Mentoring Network

Mentoring for Change ahead of the 2014 European elections

The EWL European Political Mentoring Network aims to empower women from ethnic minorities ahead of the May 2014 European elections and, ideally, to increase their representation in the European Parliament (EP). The Network addresses the lack of gender parity and ethnic diversity in political decision-making at European level. It was officially launched on 09 April 2013 at the EP in Brussels. The mentoring network is the first of its kind at European level and it is inspired by a political mentoring programme developed by our project partner KVINFO in Denmark.

From January 2013 to the European elections in May 2014, the EPMN will connect 11 women MEPs (the mentors) with 11 women from a migrant or ethnic minority background and different political parties, who are interested in running for the 2014 European elections (the mentees). The purpose is to better prepare the mentees to compete for the next European elections, by sharing advice and experiences during one-to-one meetings.

The EWL Mentoring Project was developed within the framework of the EWL 50/50 Campaign, which aims to improve the representation of women in the EU institutions and put issues related to women’s rights and gender equality high on the EU agenda.

Look out for news on the mentoring network
During the Programme, mentees and mentors will be invited to share their experience on a blog, in social media, in the EWL Newsletter, at conferences (e.g. EWL 50/50 Campaign for Parity Democracy events and a hearing at the European Parliament) and in a Web documentary.

With the financial support of the European Commission, supported [in part] by a grant from the Open Society Foundations and partnered by Kvinfo.

  • Looking back over the EWL Political Mentoring Network: two inspiring years of action for gender equality and diversity!

    Looking back over the EWL Political Mentoring Network: two inspiring years of action for gender equality and diversity!

    [Brussels, 8 December 2014] The wrap-up event of the EWL European Political Mentoring Network took place last Tuesday in Brussels. The event was the opportunity to looking back at two years of an exciting programme which contributed to give visibility to the issues of gender equality and diversity in political decision-making.
    The event was opened by Viviane Teitelbaum, President of the European Women’s Lobby, who underlined the great achievements made by the EWL European Political (...) Read more

  • EWL European Political Mentoring Network: second part of the webdocumentary online

    EWL European Political Mentoring Network: second part of the webdocumentary online

    [Brussels, 29 April 2014] The European Women’s Lobby is happy to announce today the release of the second part of the webdocumentary, showing the further course of the Mentoring Programme.
    During the second part of the documentary you will see the Mentees and Mentors during the last two capacity buildings, in December 2013 in Strasbourg and in February this year in Brussels, as well as interviews with supporters of the EWL’s 50/50 campaign, MEP and Chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights (...) Read more

  • “No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality”: Unity in Diversity

    “No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality”: Unity in Diversity

    (Brussels, 28 February 2014) On 18 February, the European Women’s Lobby organised a seminar on gender equality and diversity in European Political Life. The seminar “My MEP is just like me?!” was hosted by MEP Claude Moraes (S & D) at the European Parliament in Brussels and was organised within the framework of the EWL [50/50 Campaign->http://paritydemocracy.eu for parity democracy in the European Institutions and at national level, and for the integration of gender equality as a priority (...) Read more

  • Political Mentees in Brussels for their Fourth Leadership & Capacity Building Session

    Political Mentees in Brussels for their Fourth Leadership & Capacity Building Session

    [Brussels 26 February 2014] The Mentees of the European Political Mentoring Network were all in Brussels last week in order to benefit from a leadership and capacity building programme organised by the European Women’s Lobby.
    This three-day long session began with training by Mette Rix (Denmark) around the challenges of public speaking in the political sphere. Mette worked with the Mentees on sharpening their communication skills, with a focus on public speaking, effectively conveying (...) Read more

  • EWL looks back on inspiring seminar in the EP in Brussels ’My MEP is Just Like Me?/!’

    EWL looks back on inspiring seminar in the EP in Brussels 'My MEP is Just Like Me?/!'

    [Brussels, 21 February 2014] Last Tuesday, February 18, the European Women’s Lobby organised a seminar on gender equality and diversity in European political life, hosted by MEP Claude Moraes.
    The EWL would like to thank all panellists for their participation and contributions to the main event of the 50/50 campaign “No Modern European Democracy without Gender Equality” Guliz Tomruk, Sanchia Alasia and Kamilla Sultanova to present themselves and the main points of their campaigns. In a third (...) Read more

  • This Is My Home Now Strasbourg Screening European Parliament

    This Is My Home Now Strasbourg Screening European Parliament

    [Brussels, 20 December 2013] As part of the International Human Rights Day activities in Strasbourg’s European Parliament, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) and the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW) organised an evening screening of their joint 2012 documentary This Is My Home Now. We were grateful that this event was supported by MEP Claude Moraes, who gave a speech. As the Mentees of the EWL European Political Mentoring Programme (EPMN) were already in Strasbourg to experience (...) Read more

  • The EWL at the EP in Strasbourg - Third Leadership and Capacity Building Session of the European Political Mentoring Programme

    The EWL at the EP in Strasbourg - Third Leadership and Capacity Building Session of the European Political Mentoring Programme

    [Brussels, 13 December 2013] The Mentees of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) European Political Mentoring Programme (EPMN) met together and with their respective Mentors for three days this week in Strasbourg.
    During the third leadership and capacity building session, the Mentees also had the opportunity to attend the plenary session at the European Parliament and to benefit from a one to one coaching with Malene Rix, an Executive Advisor in Negotiation, Facilitation & Leadership. The (...) Read more

  • EWL delegation participates in 2013 Annual Summit of the "Women in Parliaments Global Forum" (WIP) in Brussels

    EWL delegation participates in 2013 Annual Summit of the "Women in Parliaments Global Forum" (WIP) in Brussels

    [Brussels, 29 November 2013] The last three days, Policy Officer Karima Zahi and Fundraising Coordinator and Policy Officer, Serap Altinisik, took part in the summit on “Women in Parliaments Global Forum” in the European Parliament.
    The high level conference, bringing together female politicians and activists, was held in order to celebrate the introduction of women’s right to vote in New Zealand 120 years ago. The participants came together to discuss issues like the current crisis and its (...) Read more

  • EWL promoting its 50/50 Campaign and Political Mentoring Network in Oslo

    EWL promoting its 50/50 Campaign and Political Mentoring Network in Oslo

    [Brussels, 21 November 2013] On 14 and 15 November 2013, EWL staff members Gina Horst and Karima Zahi participated in the conference “Women, Power and Politics” in Oslo. The international conference, organised by FOKUS (Forum for Women and Development), the National Centenary Committee and PRIO (The Peace Research Institute Oslo) aimed at celebrating one Century of Women’s Right to vote in Norway, by discussing what has been achieved during the past 100 years and by looking at what still needs (...) Read more

  • EWL European Political Mentoring Network: first webdocumentary online

    EWL European Political Mentoring Network: first webdocumentary online

    [Brussels, 7 November 2013] The EWL European Political Mentoring Network aims to empower women from ethnic minorities ahead of the May 2014 European elections and, ideally, to increase their representation in the European Parliament (EP). The Network addresses the lack of gender parity and ethnic diversity in political decision-making at European level. It was officially launched on 09 April 2013 at the EP in Brussels. The mentoring network is the first of its kind at European level and it (...) Read more

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EWL event "Progress towards a Europe free from all forms of male violence" to mark the 10th aniversary of the Istanbul Convention, 12 May 2021.

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