Activities 2017

7/12/2017, EIGE Press Release

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has published a press release with title: Study and work in the EU: set apart by gender

13/6/2017 Istanbul Convention

Ref. DC 087(2017)EU signs Council of Europe convention to stop violence against women

http://bit.ly/2so0BSF

Strasbourg 13.06.2017 – Global support for the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and

combating violence against women and domestic violence (“Istanbul Convention”) significantly

increased today with the official signature by the European Union.

Ambassador Joseph Filletti, Permanent Representative of Malta to the Council of Europe, on behalf of

the Presidency-in-office of the Council of the EU, and Věra Jourová, EU Commissioner for Justice,

Consumers and Gender Equality signed the convention on behalf of the European Union, in the

presence of Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland.

The signing sends a strong political signal from all 28 EU member states to subscribe to the Convention.

It shows the recognition, by the EU, of the importance of the Istanbul Convention as establishing the

global norms in this field and thus reinforces its international standing.

So far, 23 countries have ratified the Convention, including 14 EU members (Austria, Belgium, Denmark,

Finland, France, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden). The

other 14 EU member states have all signed the Convention.

The EU signing – the first step towards EU accession to the Istanbul Convention – follows the EU

Council's adoption of two decisions for the signature: one related to articles of the convention dealing

with asylum, refugees and refoulement and another on articles dealing with co-operation in criminal

matters.

The EU has exclusive competence to accept the obligations set out in the Istanbul Convention with

respect to its own institutions and public administration.

The Istanbul Convention – so named because it was open for signature in Istanbul in 2011 – is the

most comprehensive international treaty to combat violence against women and domestic violence. The

convention recognises violence against women as a human rights violation. Its specific measures

prevent violence, protect victims, and prosecute perpetrators.

Violence against women is a brutal form of discrimination, which happens in every society and EU

country. According to recent data:

· One in three women in the EU has been a victim of physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15;

· One in 20 women have been raped;

· One half (55%) of women have experienced sexual harassment;

· One in three women has experienced psychological abusive behaviour by a partner;

· One in three women has experienced physical or sexual violence by an adult during childhood.

The Council of Europe stands ready to support the process of preparing EU accession, as modalities will

need to be negotiated. One such modality would be the EU's capacity to nominate a candidate for

election to the convention’s independent expert body – the Group of Experts on Action against Violence

against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) – which monitors implementation of the convention.

Contacts:

Council of Europe: Panos Kakaviatos, Spokesperson/Media officer, Tel. +33 3 90 21 50 27

European Commission: Melanie Voin, Press officer for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality,

14/6/2017 Result details

https://search.coe.int/directorate_of_communications/Pages/result_details.aspx?ObjectId=0900001680724be9 2/2

Tel. +32 460 75 86 59

Council of Europe Directorate of Communications

Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11

pressunit@coe.int

www.coe.int

2-3/3/2017, 3rd Meeting of the EUROPEAN MIGRATION FORUM

The President of the EKIF was invited and attended the 3rd Meeting of the EUROPEAN MIGRATION FORUM in Brussels 2-3 March 2017: Migrants’ access to the EU, to rights and to services, challenges and ways forward.

The Programme of the Conference can be accessed here.

11/2/2017, SAVE THE DATE: One Billion Rising 2017 - 11 February 2017

EKIF is a Founding Member of the CYPRUS WOMEN’S LOBBY (CWL), which is associated to the European Women’s Lobby (EWL).