25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
24 November 2006
PES Women – representing women from 32 socialist and social democratic parties across the Europe – called, on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, for the EU and member states to do more to eradicate violence against women.
PES Women call for
- Member States to strengthen legislation and practice on violence against women – and to take a particularly good look at the positive examples of law in Spain, Austria and the UK.
- The creation of a European network of organizations working in the prevention and elimination of violence against women
- The EU to establish the EU Gender Institute as soon as possible
- The EU to declare a European Year for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Spanish legislation – voted in 2003 - gives women the chance to get a fast-track restraining order on a violent partner within a maximum of 72 hours.
In Austria the legislation calls for immediate response to victims.
Zita Gurmai, President of PES Women, said “Violence against women is fundamental violation of the basic right to safety, freedom and dignity. A lot more needs to be done to stamp out violence against women. We need better legislation, more action to prevent violence against women, better support for women who suffer violence and more exchange of best practice among NGOs and statutory bodies across Europe.”
