The European Women’s Lobby (EWL), which has more than 4000 members worldwide, is one of the many foundations focused on empowering women.

EWL chose its new head of the Board of Management and its representatives, and held its General Assembly meeting in Budapest from the 11^th to the 14^th of May.

Nuray Özbay joined the General Assembly as the Delegate of Turkey Coordination. KAGIDER’s Brussels representative, Aslıhan Tekin, represented the Turkey Coordination and the previous General Assembly member.

During this year’s General Assembly elections, Nuray Özbay was elected to the European Women’s Lobby Board of Management for Turkey. Aslıhan Tekin was selected as a backup Board of Management member. Later on, the Board of Management determined the executive board, consisting of 7 individuals. The head of CEE Network, Sonja Lokar, was elected the head of EWL.

The EWL Executive Board includes: Rada Boric (Croatia), Susana Pavlou (Cyprus), Vivienne Teitelbaum (Belgium), Liz Law (Ireland), Renee Laviera (Malta), and Martha Jean Baker (England). The EWL President is Sonja Lokar from Slovenia.

During the General Assembly the EWL presented the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, selecting “moving forward with women’s rights” as 2013’s theme.

The Strategic Plan focuses on:

Affecting decisions at the European Union level: gender equality policies and legislation, economic and social policies, violence against women, strengthening women in decision-making positions, immigration, integration, and fundamentalism

Strengthening memberships

Creating a financially independent and sustainable EWL

Moreover, the discussion also covered the economic crisis and its impact on women, reproductive and sexual rights, and the gender inequalities amongst the ageing population.

The General Assembly will continue to work on its Strategic Plan over the next four years.