Press Release: Civil Society and MEPs Reject Far-Right Manipulation of Women’s Rights
Brussels, 19 September, 2025: On Tuesday 9 September the End FGM European Network issued a statement, supported by other civil society organisations, to ring the alarm about a “debate” set to be held in plenary at the European Parliament in Strasbourg the day after: ''After 10 years, time to end mass migration now - protect our women and children''.
End FGM EU was “outraged that this debate was approved. The simple title of the event dangerously exploits fear and weaponizes the safety of women and children to further promote an anti-migrant agenda”.
Moreover, it warned that “Women’s rights are increasingly being instrumentalised to feed ideological hatred and political polarisation based on racism, xenophobia, islamophobia etc.” calling on the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to not allow for these events to take place in the House of European citizens.
"As a feminist organisation with intersectionality at its core, we were appalled to see that this was allowed in the European Parliament. The current political climate is alarming and threatens the future we are working to achieve. We stand firmly against the weaponisation of women's rights and will continue to act as a whistleblower to denounce such manipulation," stated Marianne Nguena Kana, Director of End FGM EU.
Despite many efforts by civil society and political groups to oppose the debate and its title in particular, the debate took place as foreseen. In line with the warnings of the statement, the event was characterised by racist slurs and harmful rhetorics rooted in othering and misogyny. At the same time, we were relieved to see that some members of Parliament stood firm in safeguarding our democracy, serving as a strong barrier against far-right and extreme-right rhetoric.
“This debate, placed on the agenda by the far right, is a false debate that exploits fears and manipulates figures. Let’s debate facts. Contrary to the far right’s obsessions, irregular entries into the EU have fallen by 38% in one year. The EU is acting firmly to reduce illegal immigration while welcoming with humanity those who are persecuted.”
Fabienne KELLER, member of European Parliament from Renew Europe
“The EU wide data shows that sexual violence is committed by EU nationals, by men who are known to the women in their own homes. The common denominator here is spelled M.E.N, men, that is where the wrong is. The far right is twisting facts into ignorant, hate-fuelled hatred of migrants, correlation does not equal causality. Women rights organisations are rejecting your sinical weaponisation of our pain for your racist agenda I have my voice don't you dare claim to represent it.”
Abir AL-SAHLANI, member of European Parliament from Renew Europe
“Protect women, protect children, yes, from the far right. In Poland, restrictions on the right to abortion by the far right have plunged thousands of women into distress, some of them died because they were prevented from having an abortion even when their lives were in danger. In Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, maternal mortality reaches 12 to 15 deaths per 100,000 births, that’s 15% higher than in the EU. So much for your protection of women. One in seven lesbians has been assaulted in Europe, one third of trans people who went through conversion therapies has attempted suicide, and across Europe these tortures take place in the wake of your transphobic and homophobic agenda. Two thirds of gay children are bullied at school: who protects queer children? Who are those who protect women and children in Europe? Those who strip away rights, who exploit violence and lives for their vile racist propaganda? Protecting is not excluding, it is protecting health, equality, and freedom. When the far right advances, let us not be fooled: our rights are pushed back, and we feminists will always be there to defend our rights against the international reactionary movement.”
Mélissa CAMARA, member of European Parliament from the Greens
“The far right identifies migration with violence against women and children and that is false. There are a lot of studies that speak against that. Look at Dominique Pelicaud, did the perpetrator come on a small boat? No, so ignorance underpins racism. This is hate speech that makes us feel sick, it creates fear, you don't say that there is structural violence against women, you mask your own male chauvinist violence."
Lina GÁLVEZ, member of European Parliament from S&D
“You want to talk about women and children rights? Let's talk about femicide, terrible violence, domestic violence, how we can create safe homes for women but you don't want that. You want less violence against children? Let's talk about child poverty, the fact that there is no equal opportunities in education, let's talk about the real problems, let's talk about social inequalities.”
Özlem DEMIREL, member of European Parliament from the Left
Following the event, more organisations joined our statement denouncing this so-called “debate,” with the aim of alerting society and ensuring that such events will no longer be allowed on the Parliament’s agenda.
- OII Europe
- Women Against Violence Europe
- International Planned Parenthood Federation - European Network (IPPF EN)
- European Roma Grassroots Organisations (ERGO) Network
- Social Platform
- EL*C - Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community
- ECRE
- PICUM
- SOLIDAR
- Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG)
- Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)
- ILGA-Europe
- EPSU (The European Federation of Public Service Unions)
- TGEU – Trans Europe and Central Asia
- ESWA- European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance
- #DiasporaVote!
- Mediterranean Institute of Gender studies (MIGS)
- Aidos - Italian Association for Women in Development
- Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
- New Women Connectors
- European Network Against Racism
- IGLYO - The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation
- Foodwatch International
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
- FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights)
- Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice
- LDH (Ligue des droits de l’Homme)