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Every week in Europe, 50 women are killed through domestic violence - killed at the hands of their supposed loved ones. [1] That's one woman murdered every three hours.
There is an international agreement that could be a game-changer for women’s survival. It’s called the Istanbul Convention.
But some EU countries have been blocking its ratification for two years. [2] And we have not been standing by in silence. This week, global mobilisations to end violence against women have taken thousands to the streets. [3] So much so that the president of the new European Commission has said she’ll fight for the EU to ratify the Convention! [4]
This is a fantastic commitment, the result of years of feminist mobilisations, but - words must become action. The new European Commission, whose mandate will last for 5 years from now, starts work TODAY! The Commissioner in charge of violence against women, Helena Dalli, must learn that Europeans are watching - that we welcome the Commission’s commitment, and that we expect real action. We demand that the Commission puts all its energy into ensuring the Convention is ratified in 2020. Will you let Dalli know? Send her a Facebook comment: it’ll take you less than half a minute!
Send a message to end violence against women!
Violence against women goes beyond the daily killing of women: there’s also psychological violence, sexual violence and rape, female genital mutilation, sexual exploitation and trafficking, harassment and stalking. It’s unacceptable that this is an everyday reality for many women across Europe - and not just for the disempowered or most vulnerable.
Yes, 1 out of every 3 women in the EU has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15. Ultimately, violence against women affects over 250 million women and girls.
Thanks to the hard work and struggle of those before us, the Istanbul Convention was signed 2 years ago by the EU and its countries. It’s the best possible existing tool to end violence against women, but unless ratified by all EU member states, it cannot be implemented.
This Convention would give governments the power to provide legal support, attention, and funding to efforts to prevent and punish violence against women. Good laws can change whole societies. Now that a brand-new European Commission is making its debut, we can hold them to account! To get their place in the Commission, its President and the Commissioner on violence against women committed to fight to get the Istanbul Convention ratified. Send a direct message via Facebook so that they know we Europeans are watching!
Send a Facebook message to the Commission
With feminist energy,
David, Virginia (Madrid), and the entire WeMove Europe team
References:
[1] https://www.womenlobby.org/IMG/pdf/european_coalition_factsheet_final_all_logos_8_march.pdf
[2] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-area-of-justice-and-fundamental-rights/file-eu-accession-to-the-istanbul-convention
[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50557784
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/international-day-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women-protests-un-a9216996.html
[4] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_19_4230
