Violence against women

On the occasion of the 10th UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the EU Parliament will today debate (and on Thursday vote) on a resolution on the issue. Raül Romeva, Greens/EFA Vice-President and member of the EP women's rights and gender equality committee, stated:

"I welcome that the EU Parliament is set to call for a clear, EU-wide legal basis to combat all forms of violence against women. No EU Member State can claim to be successfully addressing this problem on its own. Zero tolerance towards all forms of violence against women must become a top priority throughout Europe.

The EU Council and EU Commission must present a targeted and coherent EU policy plan to combat violence against women. I welcome that the forthcoming Spanish Presidency is proposing to set up an Observatory on Violence against Women within the EU Institute for Gender Equality.

Having drafted reports on the killing of women in Mexico and Latin America, I am very pleased that the EU Parliament will make an international call to address violence against women and the gender dimension of human rights violations. I call for Parliament's stance to be taken into consideration in all the EU's association and trade agreements, whether in force or under negotiation."