Teamwork behind FEMM’s resolution

During the past few days, the FEMM committee has been addressing the issue of online harassment and abuse towards women and girls. From the very beginning, every delegate has actively contributed their opinions to discussions, challenge different views and as a result, the committee has proudly accomplished a great resolution. 

They are all here for reason and with a shared goal: to promote the online rights of everyone and especially young women. The delegates are familiar with the issue of online harassment, and some are personally touched by this topic —which fuels their drive to find concrete solutions. With their diverse nationalities, educational backgrounds, interests and future goals the delegates of the FEMM committee have brought a wide range of perspectives to discussions. 

On the first day of committee work, the committee got straight to the point —tackling with the issue head-on. By sharing concrete real-life examples from delegates’ experiences, they began building frameworks for the resolution. Although the first day always comes with some nervousness, confusion and excitement, they started to work diligently together, thanks to everyone’s well-prepared work and enthusiasm in bringing their opinions to the table. By the second day of committee work, they had already developed the problems and potential solutions into good shape, and the delegates were more confident and ready to finalize the resolution. Due to their strong work pace, they had time on Sunday to prepare well for the General Assembly —not forgetting the fun games for selecting the speakers. 

The atmosphere during the committee meetings has been both respectful and passionate. They have challenged one another’s ideas while remaining supportive and constructive. The committee presidents have created an encouraging environment for expressing any ideas bravely. The delegates have found a way to work together, and it is clear that they have genuinely enjoyed their time in the committee. By listening to each other’s suggestions and supporting others, they create a good team to work with. During the meetings, they have not always agreed with each other, but they have consistently tried to find common ground. The FEMM committee has grown into a team that stands behind its values and has prepared very well for the GA with compelling arguments.   

After many debates and exchange of ideas, the delegates have developed various solutions to the previously identified challenges. They have questioned every clause anticipating possible counterarguments and have also prepared with persuasive speeches. In tackling their issue of online harassment, they have addressed problems like the lack of control the hate speeches online, absence of a clear EU-wide definition of cyber violence, and insufficient support for victims. In their resolution they required the EU to implement measures such as better support systems, a simplified reporting process for attacks, training programs for women, and cross-border digital legislation. The final resolution is the result of fruitful discussion and strong collaboration. 

Alongside the intense debates, the committee has enjoyed of their time at MEP. They have also made friendships and gotten to know each other better. By utilizing everyone’s strengths — whether in public speaking, reasoning, active listening or critical thinking — they have joined forces. This session has given the delegates an opportunity to discover and utilize their personal strengths while also exchanging cross-border ideas. By pursuing a shared goal of passing the resolution, the committee has become even more united — and after all the hard work, their resolution passed.