[Brussels, 10 June 2025] On 7-8 June 2025, EWL members adopted four Emergency Motions during our annual General Assembly. These motions, put forward to the General Assembly by EWL’s National Coordinations or European Wide Members, call on EWL to take actions and position on emerging or urgent issues impacting on women’s rights nationally or internationally. Our General Assembly this year adopted four emergency motions on different questions, including on the:
- Condemnation of Sexual Violence as a Weapon and Tactic of War
- Protection and Advancement of Abortion Rights
- Support to Women Students and Professors Protesting Against Corruption and for the Rule of Law in Serbia
- Backlash Against Women’s Rights in Europe
Read all the motions below.
Condemnation of Sexual Violence as a Weapon and Tactic of War
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (19 June), we, the undersigned women’s organisations from across Europe, raise our voices in unity and determination to condemn the use of sexual violence as a weapon and tactic of war. Sexual violence in armed conflict is not an unfortunate by-product of war. It is a deliberate and systematic strategy, used to terrorise, humiliate, and destroy individuals, families, and entire communities. It constitutes a grave violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. These frameworks must not remain words on paper — they must translate into justice, accountability, and lasting change.
We stand in solidarity.
With all women, girls, and survivors of sexual violence in conflict zones — past and present. We honour their dignity and courage. Silence is not an option. Impunity must end. Justice must prevail.
We call on:
The European Union, its Member States, and the International Community should adopt a policy of zero tolerance for all forms of sexual violence in armed conflict and take urgent, coordinated, and concrete action to eliminate it, not only in rhetoric but in practice and to transfer all cases with evidence to related justice.
Protecting and Advancing of Abortion Rights
In the context of the global undermining of women’s rights to abortion, it is critical that EWL continues to work to ensure the EU institutions prevent regression and seek to protect and advance abortion rights for women across Europe. We are therefore calling on the EWL to
- Adopt a position affirming the right to abortion in line with human rights and public health standards (World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines).
- Call for the next EU gender equality strategy to include policy actions to improve access to abortion, including Commission guidelines on abortion care to member states in line with WHO standards, sharing of good practices in the provision of abortion care among member states, and monitoring and analysis of gaps and guidance on data collection.
- Support the European Parliament’s calls for revision of the EU Charter on Fundamental Human Rights to include the right to bodily autonomy and abortion.
- Support the request for funding mechanisms proposed by the European Citizens Initiative My Voice My Choice.
- supporting legislative initiatives to strengthen access to abortion medication, including the revision of the pharmaceutical package, including the EU Medicines Directive and the Critical Medicines Act and the update of the Critical Medicines list.
- Support financial commitments in the next Multiannual Financial Framework for women’s health including Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) under the EU4health programme, and for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working on SRHR including abortion.
- Call for continued and strengthened EU commitments and actions to advance SRHR globally as part of the EU’s foreign policy.
- Call on EU institutions to reject regression on abortion and respond strongly to threats seeking to roll back abortion rights or to undermine and threaten the operations of human rights defenders and NGOs.
Support to Women Students and Professors Protesting Against Corruption and for the Rule of Law in Serbia
EWL calls on European leaders to unequivocally support all protesters’ requests, prevent the Serbian regime from targeting women protesters, and protect peaceful protesters’ human rights in Serbia.
Serbia has the status of an EU candidate country, it is a member of the CoE and the OSCE. The Serbian constitution obliges the authorities:
“Article 16, para 2: Generally accepted rules of international law and ratified international treaties shall be an integral part of the legal system in the Republic of Serbia and applied directly”.
This is why, EWL calls on the EC, European Council, Commissioner for Enlargement, Council of Europe, OSCE, ODIHR, and ECHR:
Take all measures possible within your mandates to ensure that the Serbian regime respects elementary international standards of democracy, fulfils all the requests of Serbian students, stops targeting women protesters, and ensures that the detained activists can defend themselves from freedom and have a fair trial.
The Backlash Against Women’s Rights in Europe
We call on the EWL to take a proactive stance against the backlash on women’s rights and LGBTIQ rights to lead a strong, united, and well-resourced response, empowering women’s organisations across Europe to resist the backlash and continue advancing equality and justice.
