The EU accession to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women

17.11.2016

Question for oral answer O-000143/2016
to the Council
Rule 128
Arne Gericke, Julie Girling, Helga Stevens, on behalf of the ECR Group

On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the European Parliament notes that little progress has been made in combating violence against women and gender-based violence.

Violence against women and gender-based violence represent a violation of fundamental rights and an extreme form of discrimination, which is both the cause and the consequence of gender inequalities.

On 4 March 2016, the Commission proposed the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention, the first legally binding instrument on preventing and combating violence against women at international level. All the EU Member States have signed it, but only fourteen of them have ratified it.

– What concrete steps have the Member States taken in their national legislation to protect women from violence?

– How does the Presidency support Member States in raising awareness of the devastating consequences of violence against women?

– Can the Presidency explain how the EU’s accession to the Convention will offer women protection from violence?