[Brussels, 11 December 2013] The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) has been invited to a workshop organised by the political group GUE/NGL on 17 December in the European Parliament (EP), on “Developing more effective prostitution policies in Europe”. The aim of the workshop is to feed into the current discussion in the EP Women’s Rights Committee in light of the adoption of the own-initiative report “Prostitution, sexual exploitation and their impact on gender equality”.
The EWL is pleased to participate in this workshop, as the issue of prostitution and sexual exploitation needs to be addressed at European level. Prostitution markets know no geographical boundaries and continue to expand, especially where the sex industry has been given space for legalisation. EWL Policy Officer Pierrette Pape will present the recent trends and developments in Europe regarding prostitution policies. She will also explain why the issue of prostitution is of concern of women’s rights organisations, and considered as a form of violence against women and an obstacle to equality between women and men.
Other speakers will present developments and good practices from Germany, Ireland, and Iceland, and the role of the sex industry will be scrutinised to understand better the challenges at stake when it comes to the prostitution markets in Europe.
Finally, MEP Mary Honeyball, rapporteur of the FEMM report, will present the content of her report.
Download the programme
here. To register, or if you need a badge to enter the European Parliament, send an email to
azadeh.jefari@europarl.europa.eu or
malin.bjork@europarl.europa.eu.
Developing more effective prostitution policies in Europe – Time to target both pimps and buyers in European prostitution markets
Welcome to a seminar that explores the best ways to stop the abuse of women and children and halt the growing prostitution markets in Europe
Brussels, 17 December 2013
Time: 12.30-15.00 * Room PHS P1C051
PROGRAMME
A sandwich lunch will be provided in the meeting room
12.30 Welcome and Introduction
Mikael Gustafsson, GUE/NGL MEP (Sweden), and Chair of the Committee on Women’s rights and gender equality
12.45 Setting the context
Current developments in prostitution policy in Europe – trends and perspectives,
By Pierrette Pape, Policy officer at the European Women’s Lobby (EWL)
The sex industry lobby – a powerful player in a lucrative market: myths and strategies dismantled,
By Hanne Helth, the 8th of March Initiative (Denmark)
Discussion
13.30 Presentations of developments at country level in Europe
400.000 women in prostitution – it is time to change Germany’s (pro)prostitution policy! Recent policy developments and first successes,
by Chantal Louis, EMMA magazine (Germany)
Shutting down brothels is not all that difficult: lessons learned from the Icelandic experience,
by Gudrun Jonsdottir, Stigamot centre (Iceland)
A migrant’s rights perspectives on Prostitution policy – our campaign so far,
by Denise Charlton, Turn off the red light (Ireland)
Discussion
14.30 Responses by European policy makers
Mary Honeyball, MEP (S&D, UK), and Rapporteur of the European parliament report “Sexual exploitation and prostitution and its impact on gender equality”
14.50 Closing of the seminar by Mikael Gustafsson, GUE/NGL MEP (Sweden)
Attached documents
