A future for Europe - A future for girls
- Political strategies against the exclusion of girls and young women in Europe
Results and demands of an all-European forum

The diverse facets of social exclusion affecting girls and young women in Europe were the theme of a European forum which was held in Berlin in early May. The task force "Girls and women" of the "Internationale Gesellschaft für Erzieherische Hilfen e.V. (IGfH)" (the German section of FICE International) together with "Diakonische Akademie Deutschland gGmbH" had invited experts from England, Italy, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and Germany to compile information about the life and problem situations of girls and young women as well as the different political and social systems and to discuss joint strategies against phenomena of exclusion. More than eighty women from different fields of work with girls and women had followed the invitation. The forum was financially supported by the Federal Ministry for Women, "Jugend fuer Europa", the Berlin Senate, the "Diakonisches Werk", as well as IGfH.

All speakers drew attention to the disturbing increase in "female slavery" and presented striking examples. Prostitution of young girls as well as trafficking in girls and women - i.e. degrading girls and young women to commodities in the newly realigning European markets - are the rule rather than the exception, in particular in countries with high poverty rates.

The overall context of the forum showed that the sexual and economic exploitation of women was nothing else but the most extreme expression of the widespread continuing structural deprivation of women and girls, which becomes manifest in a lack of educational and vocational opportunities, violence against girls and women and culturally determined role-stereotypes, which drastically restrict female development and life-opportunities. Although the women's movement has successfully fought for new life-spheres and perspectives for girls and women, these developments are not open to everyone. Disadvantaged girls, in particular, are at risk of long-term social exclusion in the face of the process of European integration, which requires language skills, mobility, etc. from those trying to enter the game.

To counteract this development successfully we need a European perspective, as well as political measures geared to gender equality, and also concrete support for those in need of such support. The forum participants demand the following from European social politics:

" European politics must see girls as a target group in its own right. Structural measures should be taken to protect girls' interests (e.g. a special EU coordinator for girls; and a coordinating body for work with girls)
" A "lobby for girls" requires a European network based on work with girls and politics for girls as well as closer cooperation between social work, work with girls, youth-oriented politics and women-oriented politics.
" Working with girls must be a separate field of practice as well as a cross-sectional approach. The principle of gender mainstreaming, which was made obligatory for all member states through the Amsterdam Treaty applies also to youth politics, youth work, youth welfare, and youth research and should be promptly implemented on the European and national levels.
" EU support has proven to be an important driving force for work with girls and women in particular in the countries of southern and eastern Europe. Strict gender mainstreaming in funding policies must guarantee that half of the funds made available are used for women and girls, in order to provide the resources needed for social work with girls - also with a view to EU enlargement to the East - and to make work with girls an element of the infra- structure of social work.
" In order to guarantee societal participation of - in particular, disadvantaged - girls and women, preconditions must be set which on the one hand make them economically independent through equal opportunities in education and on the labour market and on the other hand effectively combat violence against women and trafficking in women through solidarity with and support for the victims and strict prosecution and sanctioning of the perpetrators.

For the Task Force "Girls and Women" of "Internationalen Gesellschaft fuer erzieherische Hilfen IGfH)": Dr. Monika Weber/Dr. Mechthild Wolff
The contents of this press release have the support of the "Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft fuer Maedchenarbeit", "Tuebinger Institut für frauenpolitische Sozialforschung e.V.", Ulrike Wisser (BBJ Brussels) and "IMMA e.V." Munich