ELLA (Expertise Centre for Gender and Ethnicity)

National Network
Belgium
Address

Middaglijnstraat 10
1210 Brussels
Belgium

Telephone
0032 2 209 34 67
Fax
0032 2 209 34 65
E-Mail
sarah.scheepers@ellavzw.be
E-Mail (2)
latifa.elmorabit@ellavzw.be
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2000
Fields of Activity
  1. Gender
General Information

ella is an expertise centre, an non-profit organization in Brussels committed to the empowerment and and emancipation of ethnic minority women in Belgium (Flanders and Brussels). We develop publications, brochures, educational tools and packages for youth, women and professionals on themes such as identity, inequality, relationships, role patterns, marriage migration, mixed relationships, gender-related violence, etc. We organize debates, conferences, etc. and publish visual media, booklets, articles and opinion pieces on issues related to gender and ethnicity. We have the equivalent of 6 FTE at the moment. We receive subsidies on a yearly basis from the Ministry of Equal Opportunities and of Youth and other subsidies are project based, from the Ministry of Citizenization and another project financed by the Centre for Racial Equality.

Mission and Objectives

Ella stands at the intersection of issues related to gender and ethnicity. Ella aims to introduce an intersectional perspective into various fields of civil society, including the women’s movement, minority movements, education, social and welfare fields. Ella refers to the maiden name of Sojourner Truth, the very first black feminist. Ella aims to question constructions of gender and ethnicity. Ella aims to deconstruct the gap between women and men. Ella rejects the construction of femininity as the mirror image of masculinity and of ‘ethnic minority’ as the mirror image of the ‘white majority’. You only become an ethnic minority person through the denigrating gaze of the other and only become a woman through the eyes of the man. Ella questions these exclusionary identity constructions . ella demands for more space for self-determination and diversity. Ella aims to break through thinking in terms of black and white and ‘us versus them’ . ella stands for anti-racist feminism and anti-sexist emancipation of ethnic minorities. Ella stands for equal rights between men and women and between minority and majority persons.

Main Projects / Activities

current projects include developing educational material and educational for youth and adults and professionals on: mixed relations; sexual identity; pre-marital relations; marriage migration; self-defense for ethnic minority women... We offer our expertise when questioned by policy, journalists and professionals, students, etc. We organize and participate in panels, conferences, etc.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

ELLA is well-known, sought and unique expertise centre in Belgium working on issues related to both gender and ethnicity.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

We are starting to work on international co-operations; our 3 year project on marriage migration includes developing a website, educational package, brochure, etc towards empowering marriage migrants to Belgium from Morocco and Turkey. We are setting up co-operations with women's organizations in Morocco and Turkey and would like to expand this collaboration in view of exchanging expertise and offering train the trainer sessions a range of issues. National funding for transnational exchange is difficult and that is why we are looking for organizations for support for this kind of transnational exchange and projects. This foundation seems perfect for the support of our mission and aims.

Contact (1) Full Name
Sarah Scheepers
Head of the organisation
Sarah Scheepers