Plenary Session 24 November 2022
Ladies and gentlemen,
The UN General Assembly, by its resolution of 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 wider issues of power and control in our male-dominated societies, is a major political issue.
Domestic statistics leave no room for complacency: complaints from women victims of violence are rising sharply, although the numbers do not reflect reality, as not all cases are brought to justice. At the same time, Europe-wide surveys show that one in three women are 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, do not allow us to remain impassive in the face of brutality and ominous developments.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As the House of Representatives, we condemn all forms of violence against women, placing among our priorities the necessary legislation. Among other things, we have proceeded to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the "Istanbul Convention", and we have 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 modernise the relevant legislation to promote zero tolerance of gender-based violence crimes, ensuring conditions of equality and well-being for all citizens.
(Text as sent from the House of Representatives)
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