RWS (Recht op Waardig Sterven vzw)

What RWS (Recht op Waardig Sterven vzw) does

RWS (Recht op Waardig Sterven vzw) is a Belgian non-profit organization (vzw) founded in 1983 as the pioneer advocacy body for end-of-life rights, directly contributing to Belgium's 2002 Euthanasia Law, Palliative Care Law, and Patient Rights Law. The organization provides information, document assistance, and emotional support to individuals navigating euthanasia, advance directives, and end-of-life decisions, serving both individual members and healthcare providers through a hybrid in-person and digital service model.

The core service offering is the Ledenplatform (member dashboard), which delivers downloadable legal documents — wilsverklaring (advance directive) and levenstestament (living testament) — alongside explainer videos and event listings. This is complemented by the quarterly Kwartaalblad magazine, the "Voltooid Leven" podcast series, and free information sessions held across Mechelen, Gent, Turnhout, and Hasselt. The organization is staffed by a single paid coordinator (Els Schepers) and relies on a trained volunteer consultant network, with deep partnerships into LEIF (alternative euthanasia physicians), ULteam (complex-case consultancy since 2012), and Federatie Palliatieve Zorg.

RWS operates a subscription revenue model with three membership tiers (Individual €20/year, Two-person €40/year, Family 3+ €50/year), supplemented by donations, and explicitly receives no government subsidies. Members receive quarterly publications, document archiving, legal advice, and execution support for advance directives, while non-members can access free information sessions. Distribution is direct-to-consumer across the Flemish region of Belgium via the Antwerp headquarters, regional permanentie, a 24/7 phone line, and digital channels — with no intermediaries, commercial resellers, or enterprise contracts.

Name

RWS (Recht op Waardig Sterven vzw)

Legal name

Recht op Waardig Sterven vzw

Website

https://rws.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RWS is a Belgian non-profit (vzw) founded in 1983 that advocates for dignified end-of-life choices, providing information, advance-directive documents, and volunteer consultations to members and non-members across the Flemish region of Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

End-of-life advocacy services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospice Care Coordination & Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) Case Management (HSABAFAJ)

Keywords

• End-of-life advocacy
• Euthanasia support services
• Advance directive assistance
• Patient rights advocacy
• Membership nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Antwerpen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: RWS generates revenue primarily through annual membership fees at three tiers: Individual (€20/year), Two persons (€40/year), and Family 3+ (€50/year). Members receive benefits including quarterly magazine, document archiving, legal advice, and representation at the General Assembly.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations via bank transfer (BE19 3200 2641 7012). Donations are greatly appreciated as the organization operates without government subsidies. RWS notes they unfortunately cannot issue tax certificates for donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RWS is a Belgian non-profit advocacy organization that supports individuals seeking information and assistance on end-of-life decisions, including euthanasia, advance directives, palliative care, and patient rights. Its core offerings are tiered annual memberships bundled with legal document assistance (Wilsverklaring and Levenstestament), document archiving and registration, in-person consultations with trained volunteer consultants, and a member dashboard providing explainer videos, events, and a quarterly magazine.

Product overview

RWS operates as a unified membership-based advocacy platform, combining digital and in-person services. The core offering consists of the Ledenplatform (Member Dashboard) providing access to downloadable legal documents (Wilsverklaring and Levenstestament), the quarterly magazine, events, and explainer videos. Supporting services include a podcast series on completed life, free information sessions at regional locations, and volunteer consultant services. The organization offers tiered membership plans (Individual, Two-person, Family) providing access to document archiving, legal advice, and participation in the General Assembly. RWS functions as a non-profit (vzw) that works almost entirely with volunteers and does not receive subsidies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lidmaatschap (Membership) Annual membership program providing access to the member dashboard, quarterly magazine (Kwartaalblad), document archiving, legal advice, execution support for advance directives, and voting rights at the General Assembly. Available to individuals, couples, and families across Belgium.
• Wilsverklaring (Advance Directive) Written legal declaration allowing a competent adult to request euthanasia in case they can no longer express their will, confirming a serious and incurable condition, loss of consciousness, and irreversibility. Available for download by members, with registration and archiving support.
• Levenstestament (Living Testament) Legal document allowing any adult Belgian to pre-establish which treatments and interventions they refuse from healthcare providers, including resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, or artificial nutrition. Available for download by members with registration and archiving services.
• Gratis Infomomenten (Free Information Sessions) Free in-person sessions where trained RWS volunteer consultants provide general information about end-of-life topics, assist with filling out documents, and answer questions about Belgian end-of-life legislation. Open to non-members as well as members.
• Vrijwilliger Consulent (Volunteer Consultant Service) One-on-one or telephone consultation service provided by trained volunteers who offer a listening ear and information about end-of-life topics including euthanasia, living wills, and palliative care, supporting individuals in making informed choices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ years of continuous operation as Belgium's leading end-of-life advocacy organization

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ULteamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Since 2012, RWS has worked with ULteam which provides consultation and advice in complex situations where euthanasia requests from non-terminal patients and competent psychiatric patients are not always handled correctly. ULteam ensures additional conditions are met in these complex cases.
• Federatie Palliatieve ZorgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRWS collaborates with the Federatie Palliatieve Zorg network, which provides palliative care teams and support services for terminal patients. The federation specializes in home care teams and palliative support teams, focusing primarily on cancer patients but providing expertise for all terminal situations.
• LEIF (LevensEinde InformatieForum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRWS works with LEIF, which provides 'leifartsen' (LEIF physicians) who serve as alternative and second physicians within the euthanasia legislation framework. LEIF offers support in non-terminal situations and helps connect patients with physicians willing to perform euthanasia.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rws-recht-op-waardig-sterven-vzw-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RWS (Recht op Waardig Sterven vzw)