The House of Representatives condemned all forms of violence against women on the occasion of November 25, which has been declared the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
As stated before the agenda by MP Zacharias Koulias, who chaired the plenary session, the UN General Assembly, in a resolution adopted on 17 December 1999, proclaimed 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in order to highlight a major problem with a global dimension.
"From incidents of domestic violence to human trafficking, from femicide to sexual abuse in war zones, violence against women and young girls is nowadays taking on dramatic proportions. This shameful violation of fundamental human rights, which is linked to broader issues of power and control in our male-dominated societies, is a major political issue," she said.
She added that domestic statistics leave no room for complacency, as complaints by women victims of violence are rising sharply, but the numbers do not reflect reality, as not all cases end up in court. At the same time, she noted, Europe-wide surveys show that one in three women have been victims of physical or sexual violence. "And the waves of violence that are swelling around the world, with the imposition of extreme regimes that brutally violate women's rights on live television," he continued, "do not allow us to remain impassive in the face of brutality and ominous developments."
"As the House of Representatives, we condemn all forms of violence against women, placing among our priorities the necessary legislation," he said.
Among other things, he said, the House has ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the "Istanbul Convention", and has established the specific offence of femicide, which carries the penalty of life imprisonment.
"However, in the face of the brutality of violence, we declare our commitment to further modernize relevant legislation that will promote zero tolerance of gender-based violence crimes, ensuring conditions of equality and well-being for all citizens," he concluded.
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