Women Against Violence Europe Network
Budget
€1,589,671
EP Access
1
accredited persons
Staff
6
2.25 FTE
EU Grants
€608,621
Mission & Goals
WAVE is a network of 190 women’s CSOs in 46 European countries, which are all working towards preventing and combating violence against women, their children and girls (VAWG). Our members are mainly women's specialist services (WSS) such as shelters, centers and helplines, as well as related national networks. The WAVE membership is diverse and includes grassroot CSOs representing migrant and refugee women, Roma women, women with disabilities and women of colour. WAVE applies an intersectional approach to its work and represents more than 1,600 WSS in Europe. WAVE’s core work areas are: 1) Advocacy and campaigning to strengthen legislative action to prevent and combat VAWG 2) Capacity building of WAVE members through trainings, partnership projects, working groups, networking events & conferences, as well as resource mobilization 3) Building an evidence-base on the status and value of WSS in Europe through data collection, policy papers and other publications on VAWG.
EU Legislative Interests
EU Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030 EU Roadmap for Women's Rights 2025 EU Directive on combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (2024) European Commission Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 EU Victims’ Rights Directive (as being revised 2024) EU Victims’ Rights Strategy 2020-2025 EU accession to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) Directive 2011/99/EU on European Protection Order (EPO) Directive 2012/29/EU (Victim's Directive) Regulation EU no. 606/2013
Communication Activities
Ongoing advocacy work and related events (in-person or online), social media actions/campaigns as well as press-releases when there are relevant developments concerning the above mentioned legislative proposals or policies. Example regarding the Roadmap on Women's Rights 2025: https://wave-network.org/towards-an-inclusive-gender-equality-strategy-waves-priorities-beyond-2025/ and related posts on social media. Or: joint event with other feminist CSO network at the European Parliament as part of Gender Equality Week 2025 to highlight the need for sustainable multisectoral collaboration and stress the importance of intersectional approaches to tackling violence against women and girls, as well as the inclusion of LBTI women's voices in shaping future equality policies. Additional background information: Through data collection and analysis about women’s specialist support services for women and girls experiencing gender-based violence, across the EU and other European regions, WAVE identifies gaps and barriers in support services and implementation of the IC and other international legal frameworks (biennial WAVE Country Report and Database on women's specialist services in 46 countries). Online and in-person advocacy and campaigning for stronger legislative frameworks for effective prevention and tackling of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and inclusion of women's specialist services (WSS) as the experts and crucial civil society partners they are in tackling VAWG, in the drafting and implementation process of key legislative frameworks on VAWG. Additionally, WAVE raises awareness on EU policies related to violence prevention and protection and is able to target different audiences in Europe through three social media channels (Meta, Instagram and LinkedIn), the WAVE “Fempower Magazine” and periodic online actions involving the WAVE Youth Ambassadors. WAVE Youth Ambassadors raise awareness among their peers in 14 European languages and thus promote EU values on national level. On external level, the WAVE Information Centre performs an important consultation service to professionals with international questions on male perpetrated VAWG (around 100 requests are processed per year). In addition, around 30-40 women survivors in international and cross-border cases are supported annually by the Information Centre. The Database accessible on the website holds a unique registry of over 1,550 vetted entries of WSS in 46 European countries, which is accessible to women experiencing male VAWG or agencies supporting them. This is an important resource for centralized and verified knowledge. All these activities result in harmonized European data collection and increased awareness on VAWG.
Interests Represented
Does not represent commercial interests
Member Of
Global Network of Women's Shelters https://gnws.org/ Social Platform https://www.socialplatform.org/ European Coalition to end Violence Against Women & Girls https://www.womenlobby.org/EuropeanCoalition-to-End-violence-against-women-and-girls?lang=en HEUNI (The European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations) - WAVE contributes to HEUNI by being represented on their Advisory Board, the WAVE Executive Director is the designated Advisory Board member on behalf of WAVE
Organisation Members
see above WAVE Members: https://wave-network.org/about/#wave-members
Additional Information
N/A
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.