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
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).