Urgent: European Network of wwd

Dear Ladies,

as you may already know, there has been a European conference to build up a network of women with disabilities in Berlin, Germany in May this year. More than100 participants from 17 countries came together to discuss, exchange experiences and to enjoy the atmosphere and the unique air which goes along with meeting so many women from different countries. As the height of the conference the European network organisation for women with disabilities was founded, with each attending woman with a disability as a founding member. After this historical moment a resolution has been adopted which marks already the aims of this organisation and names demands to politics which also will be a guideline for the further work of the network organisation.

This network organisation sees itself as an independent pan disability women’s and human rights organisation. It has the aim and the mission to improve the living conditions of women and girls with disability, to fight discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender or disability and to promote the integration of the concerns of women and girls with disabilities in all areas of policy within the institutions of the European Union.

Within this network we want to join forces. We want to bring together all the organisations of women with and without disabilities and their experts within, which have an interest in improving the living-conditions of women and girls with disabilities and therefore in fighting against the multiple discrimination on the grounds of being female and having a disability.

To become a really strong force and to be able to speak with one loud voice we would be really delighted if we could win your organisation to become a member of this European network organisation of women with disabilities.

We are still working on the statutes but it might be helpful for you, to have a brief overview. Therefore an abstract of the draft statute has been attached. The final statutes will be adopted by the full members later on. Also the final short name has to be chosen among some proposals made at the conference, but the subtitle will be "European Network Organisation of Women with Disabilities".

We also send you an application form to speed up the process of being ready for registration as an organisation in order to be able to apply for funding. If your organisation is interested to become a member, we would be glad if you can send this form back as soon as possible (to be right in time for application for funding we need your application within two weeks (until 27th July) – sorry for this hurry but there have been some obstacles to overcome). Please send the application form to the address as stated below.

If it really should happen, that your organisation can’t agree with the final statutes, you can easily cease your membership by sending us an e-mail or a letter. In this case there will be no disadvantages for your organisation (except the circumstance not being a member of the network-organisation.).

Looking forward to your answer and hoping your organisation will join.

Best regards
Brigitte Faber

(Member of the interim working group for the establishment of the European Network-Organisation of Women with Disabilities)

For documents of the conference please have a look at www.weibernetz.de  

Temporary Address:
European Network Organisation of Women with Disabilities c/o Weibernetz e.V.
Koelnische Strasse 99
D-34119 Kassel
Germany

Phone: +49 561/72885-84
Fax: +49 561/72885-53
e-mail: brigitte.faber@weibernetz.de
web: www.weibernetz.de