Starting February 2013 until the European Elections in May 2014, the European Women’s Lobby will coordinate a Political Mentoring Network connecting 8 to 12 women Members of the European Parliament from different political parties and countries with 8 to 12 women of foreign origin or ethnic minority background who are interested in running for the European Parliament Elections or play an actve role in the EP campaign in May 2014.
What can you get out of being a mentee in this Network?
The aim is to provide you with a practical insight into European affairs, to help you to meet new people and to expand your political network, and to give you the tools to compete and to get a good position on the list of your political party for the next European Elections.
Who are the mentors?
Mentors are current women MEPs willing to share their advice and experience with you from different political parties and countries.
What are the conditions to join the Network as a mentee?
Mentees in EWL’s European Political Mentoring Network are:
Women with migrant background or from an ethnic minority living in the European Union;
Already involved in politics at local, regional and/or national level;
Eligible and interested in running for the next European Elections in June 2014;
Committed to women’s rights.
Have at least a good understanding of English as this will be the language used in capacity-building sessions (you might be able to use a different language with your mentor)
Please note that we will also consider applications of women interested in being part of a campaign team and/or are unsure about running themselves for the upcoming European Elections. Your mentor will be there to support you in your decision to run or not based on what you have learned through your partnership.
How can I join?
If you fulfill the conditions , you can create your personal profile till the 11th of February 2013 on our database here. You will be asked to attach a short CV in English as well as a completed application form available [here. If you are shortlisted, we will contact you for a personal interview to learn more about your motivation and expectations. Then, we will start the process of matching your profile with those of participating MEPs to find your “mentor soulmate”.
Your travel, accommodation and subsistence costs will be covered by the EWL during your stays in Brussels, Strasbourg and/or the home country of the MEP (based on an agreement). Nevertheless, neither the mentees, nor the mentors are paid for their participation in the Network. This is a voluntary commitment that needs your full engagement but will for sure bring you far more than money!
Download the flyer and learn more about the EWL’s Political Mentoring Network here.
If you’re experiencing problem registering in the data-base, please send us your filled application form and CV in English to: bach@womenlobby.org
Deadline to present your application: 11 February 2013!
More information: bach@womenlobby.org
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Accessibility Statement
womenlobby.org
11 May 2025
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
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alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
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To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
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These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
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Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
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Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
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We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
