Our reaction to the European Commission Directive on VAW
On 8 March 2022, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the European Commission published the legislative proposal for a Directive on violence against women and domestic violence, marking an important step in recognizing gender-based violence being for the first time targeted by EU-wide legislation.
Watch the European Commission video celebrating the 8th of March and launching the Directive, to which we contributed.
End FGM EU strongly welcomes the European Commission’s initiative and in particular the addressing of specific forms of gender-based violence and harmful practices including female genital mutilation and forced marriage.
We particularly welcome the comprehensive approach that the Directive aims to take to combat violence against women, and the importance granted to support services for survivors, that are tailored to their specific needs.
This text provides a strong basis for ensuring increased prevention, protection, prosecution and integrated policies, in line with the pillars and the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), with the further ambition to provide higher minimum standards and harmonization across the EU.
However, the Directive proposal can further be strengthened, particularly in terms of inclusion and intersectionality, by extending these provisions to all people having faced or at risk of facing gender-based violence in all their diversity.
We will continue to work with our partners and with the European Parliament and Member States during negotiations to ensure that the stronger version of possible of this Directive is passed and that the objectives within it lead to concrete improvements for women and girls, survivors and people at risk of being subjected to forms of GBV across Europe.
Stay tuned for further analysis and updates on this file.
