EMMA Közhasznú Egyesület
EMMA
EMMA Association is a national women’s organization, which works for the fundamental rights and societal equality of women, paying special attention to gender-based oppression, violence against women during the childbearing and childrearing period, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), on the individual, community and social level, with a special focus on vulnerable groups of women.
ID: 376878850393-66
Lobbying Activity
Response to EU Civil Society Strategy
5 Sept 2025
Civil society organizations (CSOs), especially those advancing gender equality, womens rights, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), are vital to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across the EU. However, they face mounting threats: political hostility, restrictive laws, funding insecurity, smear campaigns, and exclusion from policymaking. These pressures are particularly acute for women human rights defenders, marginalized groups, and grassroots organizations, who often lack stable funding and face additional barriers due to administrative burdens and shrinking civic space. A strong, inclusive, and well-resourced civil society is essential for a resilient, democratic, and feminist European Union. The EU Civil Society Strategy must translate these principles into concrete, actionable measures to protect, empower, and sustain CSOs and human rights defenders across the Union.
Read full responseResponse to Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030
11 Aug 2025
Despite advances in healthcare access across the European Union, fundamental issues remain unaddressed and persistent challenges undermine equitable and respectful sexual and reproductive healthcare. Respectful maternity care and reproductive justice are human rights issues, not merely clinical concerns. The EU has a unique opportunity and responsibility to uphold dignity, equality, and transparency in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Key challenges: Obstetric and gynecological violence: High rates of non-evidence based medical procedures without informed consent, verbal abuse, threatening, humiliation, coercion and undue pressure, physical restraint, denial of care, the routine disregard for informed consent and bodily autonomy, and other human rights violations. Restricted access to evidence-based and client-centered abortion care and contraception choices, including the availability of relevant and reliable information and the removal of legal, financial, practical and other barriers to access. Structural racism and institutional discrimination: Marginalized, vulnerable communities face barriers to access sexual and reproductive health services, are more often subjected to disrespectful, abusive care and outdated medical practices, and higher rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Lack of harmonized data: Inconsistent or absent reporting on key indicators (e.g. cesarean rates, episiotomy rates, maternal deaths) impedes accountability. Inadequate patient rights protections: Patients often lack mechanisms for redress and compensation in cases of mistreatment or rights violations. Lack of access to comprehensive sexual education. Hostile environments for women human rights defenders and civil society organisations promoting gender equality and especially SRHR issues. Recommendations Improve standards of care for sexual and reproductive health, including but not limited to maternal and perinatal health. Set EU-wide evidence-based standards of care that ensure informed consent, freedom from coercion, and respect for patient autonomy in obstetrics and gynecology, including contraception, abortion and fertility care, screening and prevention of STIs. Facilitate civil society engagement, meaningful dialogue with and involvement of a wide and diverse range of stakeholders, such as women's rights organizations, patient representation bodies, consumer rights groups, and grassroots movements in EU policymaking. Also ensure inclusion of minoritized voices, especially Romani, migrant women, LGBTQ communities, and people with disabilities. Support national action plans addressing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and perinatal health outcomes. Allocate EU funding (e.g. ESF+, EU4Health) to projects focused on SRHR, and enable the meaningful involvement of civil society actors in these projects. Ensure the next Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme continues to prioritise funding for feminist and SRHR civil society organisations. Implement an EU-level Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) system, with standard maternal mortality reporting templates for health facilities. Require mandatory maternal death reviews including near-miss cases and national reporting. Enforce the implementation of the already existing legislative framework relevant for gender equality (e.g. Directive on Pay Transparency, Directive on Violence Against Women, Race and Ethnicity Equality Directive, Istanbul Convention). Adopt the European Commission Recommendation on the prevention of harmful practices against women and girls, with guidance to Member States on how to address obstetric and gynaecological violence. Ensure that all future legislation upholds and supports sexual and reproductive rights. A strong and actionable commitment to SRHR in the 20262030 Gender Equality Strategy is a cornerstone for achieving gender equality across the European Union.
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