European Feminist Forum

The European Feminist Forum (EFF) is a web-based space for dialogue for feminists in Europe. Launched in April 2007, the European Feminist Forum serves as an initiative to create dialogue and incite change in Europe (EU and EU candidate and neighbouring countries – Western Balkans and ‘European’ parts of the former Soviet Union) by establishing a new feminist agenda. The continual processes of online communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing will accumulate in a publication at the end of 2008 on the achievements of the European Feminist Forum. The Conference which was also planned for June 2008 had to be postponed, due to a lack of funding.

Participants

EFF is open to anyone who sees themselves as European – whether born in Europe or not, is a feminist (female or male), and who wants to participate in developing the future of a feminist Europe. It is led by a steering group with representatives from the International Information Centre and Archives for the Women's Movement(IIAV) in Amsterdam,ASTRA and the Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, The International Fellowship of Reconciliation's Women Peacemaker's Program (WPP), The Federation for Women and Family Planning(Poland), The Roma Women’s Network, KARAT Coalition , Babaylan - Philippine Women’s Network in Europe, The Network of East-West Women(NEWW) and Women in Development Europe (WIDE).

Affinity Groups

EFF is organised around a series of theme-based affinity groups, in which active collectives around Europe organize around ten specific issues:

   * Movement
   * Violence, Peace, Security
   * Labour Market
   * ICT/New Media
   * Secularism
   * Feminist Migrant Agenda
   * Feminist Art
   * European Union/Finances
   * Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
   * Lesbians/LGBTI

EFF Affinity Groups were formed in 2007 and are non-hierarchical, open, participatory and innovative spaces for individual feminists and groups to organize around a specific topic and host debates across Europe. Affinity Groups demonstrate their progress and contributions to the EFF through additions to the website in the form of discussion papers, videos, podcasts and other media. Affinity Groups started to work in 2007 and will continue until June 2008, contributing to setting the agenda of the European Feminist Forum.

Funding

The EFF is funded by Cordaid, Global Fund for Women, Open Society Institute, Oxfam Novib, Mama Cash, Hivos.