Inspiring Thursday: WAVE Office

Last week the WAVE network and its 160 members fighting to end violence against women and girls in 46 European countries were presented. Now it is time to introduce the WAVE Office, the point of contact between women’s organisations in Europe which seeks primarily to accelerate the flow of support and information in all matters concerning the prevention of violence against women.Based in Vienna, Austria, the WAVE Office is composed of 10 women from all over Europe, who try to represent the diversity of the WAVE network: Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, and Romania.

“I love being surrounded by liked-minded, activist women and the working environment at WAVE is exactly that! We all come from different backgrounds yet share the same feminist drive and commitment to ending violence against women.”- Léa Dudouet, Office Administrator and Project Assistant

The WAVE Office works to strengthen the network and to improve the situation regarding violence against women and girls across Europe through several missions.

We collect and disseminate data on organisations working in the field of violence against women, and thus support the actions of our WAVE members through advice, visibility, and networking. We also support victims of violence on a case-by-case basis and refer them to the women’s specialist support services in their respective countries. We coordinate as well as organise awareness-raising campaigns and events such as the annual WAVE conference and other meetings and trainings. In addition to that, we issue publications such as national and project reports as well as the WAVE Country Report to inform about VAWG. One of the most crucial pillars of the WAVE Office along with the entire network is to lobby state governments and relevant bodies.

The office members also lead different thematic working groups bringing together the WAVE staff and WAVE members on key issues. A way to exchange and converge our ideas from all over Europe around the same objective: to eliminate violence against women and girls. All our efforts and actions are rooted in a feminist and inclusive approach. The members of our office are deeply committed to and fight for justice for women and girls and equal rights, and this is what unites us.

“Talking to, learning from, exchanging, and working with WAVE Members who share incredibly valuable insight and knowledge has shaped me professionally as well as personally, which is the most rewarding aspect of my work here.” – Beverly Mtui, Communications Coordinator

The WAVE network brings together 46 European countries united by the same goal: ending violence against women and girls. Each country has its own social and political context, resources allocated to the issue, and way of seeing and working around the issue. These differences can be complex when it comes to moving together in the same direction. However, behind the struggle for women’s rights, there is not one woman but many thousands. Each woman has a different experience of being a woman depending on her environment, her culture, her social class, her personal expression and much more. It is this diversity that makes our movement stronger. Each country, each organisation, each woman offers her experience and solutions to the fight against violence against women to the other members of the network, so that everyone can learn from one another, and collectively move forward.

“I think the strength of WAVE lies in our network and diversity of our members. While at times it can be hard to align our work with all the different perspectives and regional challenges, this diversity is what makes the network thrive in my opinion.” – Léa Dudouet, Office Administrator and Project Assistant

Combating gender-based violence remains a challenge and has recently provoked strong reactions across Europe. From Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention to the controversial anti-LGBT law in Hungary and other developments against women’s rights in Europe. This is why it is crucial to join forces and effectively support victims in different countries, but also fight against patriarchy structures that contribute to the killing of women daily. Although the struggle encompasses different cultures and backgrounds, the result is the same: women and girls are being harassed, and this must stop. The WAVE office is thus dedicated to working towards not only the prevention, but particularly the elimination of violence against women and girls.

“I wish WAVE wasn’t necessary, but if the pandemic year has proven something, it is that violence against women and children is a big problem, and it is a transnational problem which has to be tackled on an international level.” – Antoniya Kisheva, Event Coordinator

We learn every day from different partners and members. The WAVE Network is constantly growing, and so is the WAVE Office. We are looking forward to welcoming new forces and voices in our team. If you share our feminist values and passion to combat violence against women and girls in Europe, please join!

The WAVE Office:

Stephanie Futtur-Orel, Executive Manager

Anca Ciupa, Team Leader

Lea Dudouet, Office Administrator and Project Assistant

Maria Knaub, Grant Development and Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator

Beverly Mtui, Coomunications Coordinator

Elena Floriani, Communications and Research Officer

Renate Tomenendal, Accountant

Antoniya Kisheva, Event Coordinator

The WAVE Office is growing!

Job vacancies: