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.
