Our work
at EU level

Our Brussels office enables us to collaborate with the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the EU member states to promote stronger EU support for development cooperation, gender equality, and global health. We focus on the external action and research and innovation programmes of the European Union, in particular in cooperation with the African continent, advocating for a healthy and sustainable future.

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More Information
Get to know us

Watch this video to learn more about our work in Brussels or contact our team in the EU-office.

Partnership

We work with NGOs, academia, research institutes, not-for-profit product development partnerships and the private sector – sharing information and expertise. Together with civil society partners we conduct joint EU-focused advocacy, amplifying messages and speaking with one voice.

Bringing expert voice
to the EU

We offer a platform for experts, including from the global south – be it youthchampions or research institutes – to share their expertise, and engage in constructive dialogue with EU decision makers.

Expertise on programming
& accountability

We share our long-standing and recognised expertise in EU programmes and processes through in-depth publications, monitoring/tracking tools, research pieces, newsletters, webinars, and workshops with partners and EU decision-makers.

Trusted
EU partner

We partner with EU institutions, providing technical expertise, and implementing successful EU-funded projects.

  • EU-Africa relations: We advocate for an improved African and European partnership that adopts a human rights based approach, prioritises cooperation on human development, in particular health and SRHR, and puts youth and their needs at the core.
  • EU’s actions on global health: We advocate for the EU to be a global champion in the promotion of health, fully recognising SRHR as a key element. 
  • EU’s actions on gender equality: We advocate for the EU to be a leader in the promotion of gender equality globally, alongside effective implementation of its Gender Action Plan
  • Promotion of Youth Empowerment: We advocate for ambitious EU policies and programmes to promote youth empowerment globally, including through an effective implementation of the Youth Action Plan. 
  • EU funding for international cooperation: We advocate for an ambitious EU budget for international cooperation that includes sufficient funding for SRHR and SRHR-related issues, such as gender equality, youth empowerment and health.
  • EU research and innovation funding: We advocate for the EU’s R&I policies and instruments to pay more attention to sexual and reproductive health, e.g. by funding the development of new contraceptive technologies.   

We advocate for the EU’s R&I instruments to dedicate more funding to health research, in particular on neglected diseases and women’s health, including new contraceptive technologies. This includes following the EU R&I framework programme Horizon Europe and its upcoming successor programme FP10, the strategic plans that guide its implementation and the work programmes that allocate funding through calls for proposals. 

We advocate for the unique and successful European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership between the Commission, EU member states and sub-Saharan African countries to be fully funded and implemented. 

We advocate for the EU as a funder of R&I to ensure more gender equality in research via a holistic approach, as set out in our recommendations, including for example by requiring funding recipients to systematically integrate a gender perspective in their research projects.

As part of our advocacy on global health R&I, we explore innovative ideas of how public funders could incentivise investments in neglected disease research, such as a European Priority Review Voucher Programme

HERA

as a member of HERA’s official civil society forum, we bring expertise and provide input to the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority. We advocate for HERA to mainstream a global health approach throughout its work and to recognise the links and contributions of poverty-related and neglected disease R&I to better prepare and respond to existing and future health threats. 

CEPI

we advocate for sustained EU support to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) to complement the work of various EU instruments and in synergy with other key EU initiatives such as the Global Health EDCTP3 and HERA, with a view to a safer, fairer, and more resilient global health R&I ecosystem.

Global Health R&D Newsletter

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GDPR

SRHR Newsletter

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GDPR

Our Team in Brussels

Rosa Castro

Senior Advocacy Officer EU

Telephone: +32 2 50490–69
Email:  rosa.castro@dsw.org

Nitya George

Advocacy Officer EU

Telephone: +32 2 615 02 01
Email:  nitya.george@dsw.org

Sylvia Githugu

Communciations Officer EU

Telephone: +32 2 50490–66
Email: sylvia.githugu@dsw.org

Lisa Görlitz

Head of Brussels Office | Head of Advocacy Unit, EU

Telephone: +32 2 50490–63
Email: lisa.goerlitz@dsw.org

Gian Marco Grindatto 

Senior Advocacy Officer EU

Telephone: +32 2 50490–64
Email:  gianmarco.grindatto@dsw.org

Agustin Martín

Senior Advocacy Officer EU

Telephone: +32 2 50490–67
Email: agustin.martin@dsw.org

Steffie Neyens

Advocacy Officer EU

Telephone: +32 2 50490-65
Email: steffie.neyens@dsw.org

Sandrine Remy

Projects & Human Resources Officer

Telephone: +32 2 50490–60
Email: sandrine.remy@dsw.org

Ffion Storer Jones

Advocacy Officer EU

Telephone: +32 2 50490–62
Email: ffion.storerjones@dsw.org

Noemi Ricci

Officer Communication

Telefon: +32 2 50490–01
E-Mail: Noemi.Ricci@dsw.org