EWL European Women’s Lobby - Bulgarian Platform

Who we are

The Bulgarian platform – European Women’s Lobby /Bulgarian Platform – EWL/ was established in 2005 as an informal coalition of women’s NGOs from across the country working to achieve gender equality and work against all forms of violence against women. Since its establishment in 2005 Bulgarian Platform – EWL has carried out various campaigns, studies and research, and implemented different Project initiatives at the national and international levels.  Currently, the Platform consists of 8 women’s organisations situated in different Bulgarian regions and working on different topics: against violence against women, incl. DV and Trafficking in women and girls, providing services to the victims of violence and lobbying for the development of the legislation; empowerment of minority women, including Roma women, refugees, migrant women, women with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups of women; women in the decision-making process, including women in politics; women and media; against gender stereotypes and sexism; raising awareness among the society about gender equality; against nationalism and populism and for women’s human rights. Our member organisations are experienced in working in cooperation with civil society and Bulgarian authorities.

In 2005 the Platform became a full member of the European Women’s Lobby. As a national platform and a member of the biggest women’s coalition in the EU, the organisations have been involved and actively supported all the EWL campaigns and initiatives focused on the protection and promotion of women’s rights and gender equality across Europe. The Bulgarian Platform works together with all EWL member organisations to ensure equal rights for all women in Europe and to have Europe free from gender-based violence.

What we do

The Bulgarian Platform – EWL believes in common efforts at the local, national, regional and global levels. All our members work together on various activities and on creation of network of organisations and people that share common values and ideas. The world today is faced different challenges – economic, social, and political. These challenges create a need for a coalition of broad groups of organisations and individuals to be established and by sharing experience, information, and knowledge to create conditions for a dignified life for everyone.

The Bulgarian Platform works together with all EWL member organisations to ensure equal rights for all women in Europe and to free Europe from gender-based violence. We work together and support the EWL and the EWL Observatory against VAW work in drafting analysis, statements, positions, by providing national analysis about the implementation, gaps of legislation and de facto situation in Bulgaria in regards to VAWG and gender equality (Towards a Europe free from male Violence against Women and Girls; EWL Feminist principles of SEXuality Education; Time for Women’s rights, Time for united feminist Europe: The state of women’s rights in Central Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Baltic States: Under Attack and Under-Resourced; etc.).

Our best practices

We implement projects and provide services to women victims of violence, to empower women, to overcome gender stereotypes and stereotypes regarding women from minority groups, including women of Roma origin, refugees and migrants:

• Violence Against Women and Girls
• Women in the decision-making process
• Economic Independence of Women
• Bulgarian Platform EWL is the first organisation in Bulgaria that started the initiative focused on Women and Climate change “Liceto na klimatchnite promeni” (pdf). Video project of Women and Climate Change: Blue Sky for Everyone (youtube)
• Together against sexism campaign; https://womenlobbybulgaria.org/topics/
• Roma women – Guide to engagement with “Union of Equality: A Strategy for Equality between the Genders (2022-2025)”(pdf)
• Women’s Rights and Right-Wing Populism. New Tools for Development of Democratic and Social Values (pdf)
• Migrant Women – Mainstreaming gender equality and an intersectional perspective in EU Policies