Violence against women
2017 Focused Actions to Combat Violence Against Women in EU
Violence against women is endemic in the European Union.
Since the age of 15: one in three women has experienced sexual and/or physical violence, psychologically abusive behavior by an intimate partner and one in two (55%) have experienced sexual harassment.
In addition to causing severe damage to women, families and communities, the magnitude of the problem is reflected by its economic costs for the European Union, which are estimated to be a staggering 225,837,418,768 euro per year. It is a shameful stain on our societies that, even in 2016, we cannot guarantee the enjoyment of human rights for all women. This must stop. Girls and women have the right to fully participate in all aspects of our society, without being beaten, harassed, raped, stalked or otherwise held back by other forms of violence.
Věra Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality has taken the initiative to dedicate 2017 to combating violence against women. But it requires the dedication of all of us: Member State national and local authorities, International Organisations, civil society organisations, academia, businesses, trade unions, police, health professionals, social care professionals and all European men and women to fight to make violence against women a thing of the past. More than an awareness-raising campaign, this initiative will support and engage all stakeholders in combatting this problem. Commissioner Jourová invites all to join these focused actions to combat violence against women, as it will be a concerted effort.
Data Collection
On 24 November, the European Commission has released the results of a Eurobarometer survey on gender-based violence, which focuses in particular on awareness of and attitudes and perceptions towards the issue:
Infographic of the results – http://ec.europa.eu/ information_society/newsroom/ image/document/2016-48/ infographic_combat_violence_ woman_40135.pdf
Funding
As part of the focused actions to combat violence against women in 2017, the Commission has set aside euro funds from the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme to support Member States in developing and implementing national practical and targeted information, awareness-raising and education activities, aimed at preventing and combating violence against women.
Funding under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme is also available through the Daphne strand, which provides €6 million annually to fund transnational grassroots projects run by NGOs, local authorities and other stakeholders.
Further information regarding upcoming calls for proposals can be found here.
Information regarding previously funded projects can be found here: Daphne Toolkit
Insights from Behavioural Sciences to prevent and combat violence against women with awareness-raising and education activities: literature review by the Joint Research Centre.
Additional References
- EEAS page on human rights and democracy
- ECHO factsheet: GENDER: Different needs, adapted assistance
- Study on GBV in sport
- “Safe at home, safe at work” project
- Study on the gender dimension of trafficking
- Factsheets on violence against women by the European Institute for Gender Equality
WUNRN
Council of Europe about Istanbul Convention
The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organization.
It includes 47 member states, 28 of which are members of the European Union.
All Council of Europe member states have signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law: Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention)
18 states have ratified the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.
The European Court of Human Rights oversees the implementation of the Convention in the member states.
Here you are some useful presentations designed by Council of Europe:
Istanbul Convention Short Presentation
Istanbul Convention and Children
Istanbul Convention and Stalking
For further information please visit: www.coe.int/conventionviolence
or contact: conventionviolence@coe.int
Agenda UWE AGM 2014 Bucharest 7 September
The board is pleased to post the extended agenda for the Annual General Meeting on Sunday the 7th of September at the New National Library of Bucharest starting at 13.30 hours. We now have added the balans and audition report. Due to holidays and late delivery of the report they were posted later. Our apologies. The other material was posted end of June. Also we have two candidates for the two Vice Presidents Isabelle Trimaille and Elena Flavia Castagnino. https://uweboard.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1865&action=edit
Deadline for resolutions was 15 July; we received none. Deadline for candidates was 1 August. Invitations for the Meet and Greet or hosting an AGM are still welcome. Call for Hosting UWE 2015 and Meet and Greet
The morning of the third day of the conference (7 September) is dedicated to sharing information and the reports of the NFA’s. Each NFA will have approx 15 minutes to tell the other members about their plans, activities and membership strategy. So please prepare something to share and make the material available to be posted on the website. So check the latest agenda here. The links will lead you to the minutes, several calls among which the call for candidates.
For the Board,Preview
Edith Lommerse President
Program 7th of September
9.30 Welcome
(informal meeting)
– Sharing reports NFA’s (max 15 minutes)
– Presentation candidates Vice Presidents: Isabelle TRIMAILLE UWE VP candidate AGM 2014 (1), Isabelle TRIMAILLE UWE 2014 cv_en
EFCB letter UWECV Elena Flavia Call for Candidates.def
– UWE action plan presentations mg working groups . the second day of the conference will be mostly dedicated to the topics of the draft action program which had four themes: Women on Boards, Support Implementation Istanbul Convention, Gender Sensitive parlements and Cooperation and Communication among women.
12.30 lunch – voting
13.30 second part AGM (formal)
1. Adoption agenda
2. Minutes minutes Istanbul please send us your comments or language suggestions before so we don’t need to spend much time on the minutes.
3. Jans Gremmée award
4. Reports
a. Overall
b. Vice Presidents
c. Financial (material will follow asap) election of members financial committee Balans. budget2014-15 AO
5. Proposal action plan 2015-2017 (posted shortly see also material informal part in the morning )
6 Proposal Meet and Greet and next AGM: Call for Hosting UWE 2015 and Meet and Greet: we have a proposal from Finland and from Germany inviting us. Also a tentative proposal from the Netherlands to host a meeting in The Haque.
Next AGM up till now no official invitations.
7. Orientation future UWE and IFUW: The UWE board proposes to dedicate some time to come up with a common strategy on our policy towards IFUW and the future of UWE. Present during the Conference will be a staff member of IFUW and two boardmembers of IFUW. Elsbeth Navarinin and Catherine Bell the chair of the IFUW.
Central Question: How do the NFA’s view the relation between UWE and IFUW and could we develop a common strategy towards IFUW?
Elements:
- We have the same mission as IFUW but our focus is mainly on Europe (Council of Europe and European Institutions) because the focus of IFUW is on the whole world and the UN. Does IFUW have enough time and energy for European problems?
- Several of the NFA’s in UWE have discussions with the IFUW about the fees and are contemplating to leave IFUW which would also mean leaving UWE.
- Some NFA’s have left UWE because they couldn’t or didn’t wish to pay the dues of IFUW. In our constitution is written any member of UWE needs to be a member of IFUW. Could we contemplate to enlarge the possibility of membership without membership of IFUW for instance Friend of IFUW?
- UWE now has 17 countries , there is room for more:)
- UWE is not part of the governing system of IFUW and doesn’t get any support (material or immaterial)
- The UWE AGM during the meeting of IFUW was almost impossible to manage as the IFUW Board didn’t plan a proper UWE AGM (They offered a space in a restaurant during lunch).
8. Proposal dues 2015: 0,46 cts per capita
We have the resolution of the Scottish NFA which was accepted in Helsinki for a per capita dues. For one year we had an amendment of The Finish and the Dutch association for 1 euro per head till a thousand members after that 0.25 cents per capita. The board did propose a budget last year in Istanbul but confusion arose partly due to shortness of time in Istanbul. For this reason we used the same fee 92014) as the last year (2013) which was accepted by the AGM in Istanbul. We now have calculated the budget for 2015 and and divide this per member (2014) . the per capita fee for 2015 is 0,46 cts per member. Our sincere apologies for the confusion. Budget 2015 and fee 2015 The balans is presented under the reports and contains a slight mistake which we will clarify during the AGM.
9. Result of the elections
10. Any other business.
Audition report finance: contrary to the decision of the AGM in Helsinki a auditor was used in 2012 (costing aprox. 1000 Euro of which the Finish association paid 400 euros) and in 2013 the treasurer found her own financial committee as the AGM in Istanbul did not dedicate examiners)
University of Women Europe “Meet and Greet” in Amsterdam, successful and inspiring!
Aside Posted on Updated on
A job well done team UWE! Excellent venue, brilliant setup and excellent execution of a successful UWE meet and greet in Amsterdam. Thoroughly enjoyed the full 4 days. Yes we went a day early to see what all the ‘background’ was about and I’m glad we did. Indeed it was fantastic the warm welcome offered by Gerda with Edith, Vera and Mary Josè 🙂 ElenaFlavia (Siracuse)
It is one of the many positive evaluations UWE received after two intensive days at the first UWE Meet and Greet in Amsterdam. Over 40 representatives of the branches of UWE from France, Romania, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland and UK met for a two-day gathering aiming at exchanging information about joint actions at European level. Here an impression of the Meet and Greet.
It started with a welcoming reception hosted by the UWE president Edith Lommerse to celebrate Europe day as the UWE was founded with the specific purpose to encourage European higher educated and university women to participate in the progressive development of European society. The “Meet and Greet” event was an opportunity to UWE members to get to know more about the work of the EWL and discuss possible collaboration in informal setting mixed with a social and cultural program.
EWL Acting Coordinator Pierrette Pape was invited to present the work of the EWL (see PPT presentation), while the Vice-Presidents of UWE explained the possible ways for UWE to be engaged at EU and Council of Europe levels.
UWE members warmly applauded the EWL video clip on the impact of austerity on women. It is a great clip to watch and use on a screening evening with members to increase awareness of the effects of austerity policies currently undertaken at the EU and many countries in Europe. Research shows it is women who suffer the most of these policies and that’s also why it is so important to vote and underwrite the manifesto for The European Parliament Elections.
Amongst the different issues of interest for the members of UWE, violence against women experienced by educated women is a concern which led UWE to decide to develop a two-year project in order to map and raise awareness on the scale of domestic violence faced by educated women in Europe. Some members also mentioned the situation of migrant skilled women. Contact person Uta Krope explained the approach which aims at learning together with an elaborate powerpoint which has lots of links to interesting information of the diverse approaches. Next learning conference is in Bucharest Romania from 5-8 June. More info see: U-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MET BY EDUCATED WOMEN-1
After the presentations the group discussed themes for UWE to be proposed at the BUcharest Conference 5-7 september after a proposal from the UWE board four themes were seen as potentially good themes to put into practice for the UWE as a whole.
- Support implementation of EVAW and raise awareness
- Training Gender Sensitive approach to society
- Women in decision making (in boards and at educational institutions)
- Cooperation and communication (internal and external)
Along the four themes several working groups formed which will be presented in a different article. Besides in-depth discussion on the implementation of women’s rights, UWE members had the chance to do an architectural tour of the Eastern Docklands of Amsterdam, Dutch honorary member Angeline Joordens took care of two tours in the pouring rain as there were so many members interested. Thank you Angeline!
In the evening several local presidents came to meet the UWE representatives at the reception hosted by the Amsterdam Branch of the Dutch VVAO. President Rosy van der Vlies explained the importance of meeting and working together thanking UWE President Edith Lommerse for this opportunity to contribute:”I gladly volunteered after she twisted my arm”. After a lively dinner where still more Dutch members appeared it was late when the day was ended with a warm applause for the organisation.
Next day a smaller group was instructed by Uta Krope on new ways of cooperating and disseminating information by Uta Krope. She showed several new and more practical ways of cooperating digitally and made it abundantly clear that emailing with attachments is old fashioned and not very effective. She is always happy to assist and provided an interesting PP with useful tips and tricks. Uta Krope:”If you have seen the instruction once you will know what is is about and after three times watching a video instruction on Youtube ánd trying, you will be able to do it! ” More info see web-2-introduction-amsterdam version for blog. Thank you Uta!
While the rain was pouring down the group went to the North of Holland to visit a Chrysanthemum farm Dekker which provides 30 percent of the Chrysanthemums of the world. Mister Erik Floris was so kind as to inform us extensively of the growing process and the different types of flowers.
Find another story on the Meet and Greet on the website of the EWL: http://womenlobby.org/news/ewl-news/article/university-of-women-europe-meet?lang=en
Equality in Europe
Recently a few Europe wide reports were published: violence against women, the gender gap report etcetera. They are also published on this site. The reports are clear, too many women suffer from violence and too many women get paid less than men. It is may be hard to believe when you yourself are not in such a position but it is important and worthwhile to join forces and show that women will not put up with violence and strive for better positions in society.
Still a lot has been done also on a European level and in these document you will find an overview of the European efforts for Equality since 1957. Europe and equality 2012 Next week almost forty women from all over Europe will gather in Amsterdam to be introduced to the work of the European women’s Lobby and the Council of Europe in which the UWE has participative status. I am looking forward to great debates and meeting lovely and interesting women. Purpose of the discussions is to set new goals and priorities for UWE to be presented and reviewed at the AGM in Bucharest 4- 7 September 2014. More news will follow shortly.
Sign the petition: Establish 2016 as European Year to End Violence against Women and Girls!
As we all know, to date, the EU has no binding legislation regarding violence against women. This is critical, as violence against women is a human rights issue and affects approximately 45% of all women across Europe. An estimated one-fifth of women in the EU suffer from violence within the home and more than one in ten women is a victim of sexual violence involving the use of force. Seven women die every day from domestic violence in the EU. The EU must therefore raise awareness on the issue and affirm its political commitment to end violence against women. By establishing a European Year to end violence against women and girls, the EU would play a leading role in raising awareness on violence against women, and at the same time propose concrete measures to act against the perpetuation of violence against women.
EU Years are key policy tools to develop strong policies and involve all actors on a specific issue. The EP has adopted on 25 February 2014 the legislative resolution of MEP Parvanova, demanding EU action to combat violence against women, including an EU Year. This is why the European Women’s Lobby and its 2000 member organisations in 31 European countries want to see such year be established in 2016, and we need to prove to the EU institutions that everyone cares about it and that we want a Europe free from violence.
So Please follow the link and sign the petition!
http://www.change.org/petitions/european-commission-president-barroso-establish-now-a-european-year-to-end-violence-against-women-and-girls? (if the link doesnt work, copy it into your browser)
To:
President of the European Commission Mr Barroso, European Commission
Project Elimination Violence against Women,Council of Europe and EWL succesful
2013 ended with an incredibly successful joint project of the European Women’s Lobby and the Council of Europe, as events around the project “Act against Rape! Use the Istanbul Convention” have been organized in almost all European countries (28) and gave visibility to the demands to sign the Istanbul Convention. Which as we wrote before was one of the projects our Vice President Marie José worked on for a long time; more info https://uweboard.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/write-to-your-authorities-urging-to-use-the-istanbul-convention.
Purpose of the actions is to highlight the need for improvements and discuss the taboos. The project will continue as not all European countries have been able to sign, ratify and implement this important Convention. In the Netherlands the government intends to ratify the convention mid 2014. One of the issues was the necessity to implement the Convention also in the Caribbean part of the Netherlands which needed more time to work on the necessary infrastructure.
The actions have made it clear once again that Violence against Women (VAW) is to be eliminated. Another milestone drawing attention to the Elimination of Violence against Women is the launch of the results in March of the European survey on VAW – done by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). The results will show a high rate of VAW in Europe and the necessity to work on the Elimination of Violence against Women.
University Women of EUROPE 