The European Women’s Lobby and its member
organisations mobilise for the 16 days of activism against Violence against
Women - starting on the International day against violence against women on 25
November and ending on International Human Rights Day the 10th December.
Across Europe, as well as globally women’s organisations and activists are
taking a lead in raising awareness in issues of violence against women, and
holding policymakers accountable to end violence against women.
Statistics show that one in four
or one in five women in Europe have been victims of male violence, and it is
one of the most important causes of mortality for women in Europe.
Given the enormity of the issue for society as a whole, and the numerous
individual lives devastated, the silence surrounding these realities are ever
the more unacceptable. Violence against women is not only a huge important
public health issue, and it is also costly for society. Violence against women
is also a matter of democracy, human rights and equality. The 16 days of
activism this year celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, highlighting that women’s rights are an integral
part of the human rights struggle and that women and girls have a right to grow
up free from male violence. Policymakers must do all they can to uphold this
basic right if Europe wants to aspire to be a region that respect the
fundamental principles of human rights and gender equality.
The European Women’s Lobby, with its branch EPACVAW
(European Policy Action Centre on Violence Against Women), calls on European
policymakers to:
· Increase EU financial resources to fund
activities and organisations working in the field of violence against women
·
Establish a one-yearly meeting of EU and
national policymakers and NGOs to assess progress and challenges in the work
against violence against women
· Declare a European year on zero
tolerance against violence against women
· Propose a strong EU policy on
violence against women that comprises binding instrument to step up Member
States’ efforts to prevent and combat gender-based violence and
ensure protection of women.
·
European Parliamentarians to join the
UNIFEM lead campaign ‘Say no to violence against women’ by signing
the written declaration tabled by Eva-Britt Svensson, Vice chair of the Women’s
right committee.
www.womenlobby.org
www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/kit08/kit.html
Contact person : Colette De Troy: centre-violence@womenlobby.org