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Sexta-feira, 12 de outubro de 2012 II Série-D — Número 3

XII LEGISLATURA 2.ª SESSÃO LEGISLATIVA (2012-2013)

SUMÁRIO Delegações e Deputações da Assembleia da República: — Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação na Conferência Regional “La prévention et la lutte contra la violence à l’égard des femmes” (COE), no âmbito da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE), realizada em Rabat, Marrocos, nos dias 24 e 25 de setembro de 2012.
— Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação na 4.ª Parte da Sessão de 2012 da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE), que decorreu em Estrasburgo, no dia 2 de outubro de 2012.
— Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação na Conferência organizada pelo European Women’s Lobby e reuniões bilaterais, no âmbito da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE), que teve lugar em Bruxelas, no dia 8 de outubro de 2012.

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DELEGAÇÕES E DEPUTAÇÕES DA ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA

Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação na Conferência Regional “La prévention et la lutte contra la violence à l’égard des femmes” (COE), no âmbito da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE), realizada em Rabat, Marrocos, nos dias 24 e 25 de setembro de 2012

Relatório n.º 60

Esta Conferência Regional foi organizada pelo Conselho da Europa, em partenariado com o Governo de Marrocos e o Governo da Noruega, e estive nela na dupla qualidade de representante do presidente da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa, Jean-Claude Fignon, e de orador convidado como Relator Geral sobre a Violência Contra as Mulheres.
No dia 24 de setembro de 2012, além de ter assistido à sessão inaugural, que teve a participação do Primeiro-Ministro de Marrocos, Abdel-Ilah Benkiran, e da Ministra da Solidariedade, da Mulher, da Família e do Desenvolvimento Social, Bassima Hakkaoui, participei numa conferência de imprensa, durante a qual fiz a promoção da Convenção de Istambul, do seu conteúdo e dos seus valores, e do desafio que já fizeram há dois meses atrás, de ver Marrocos como o primeiro Estado não europeu a assinar e ratificar este importante instrumento jurídico internacional de luta contra a violência de género.
É de referir que entre muitos outros participantes de diversos países, estiveram presentes a Ministra dos Assuntos e da Mulher da Tunísia, Sihem Badi, a Ministra de Estado e dos Assuntos da Mulher, Nadia Mohamed Hachem, a Ministra dos Assuntos da Mulher da Palestina, Rabiha Dhiab e a Vice-Ministra dos Assuntos da Família, da Mulher e da Infância do Azerbeijão, Aynur Sofyeva.
No dia 25 de setembro de 2012, fiz a minha intervenção subordinada ao tema «L’Assemblçe parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe et le Rçseau parlementaire pour «le droit des femmes de vivre sans violence» no painel “Prçvention de la violence á l’çgard des femmes: Quelle approche, et quelle mobilisation sociale”, cujo texto integral figura no Anexo deste relatório.

Assembleia da República, 27 de setembro de 2012.
O Deputado do PSD, José Mendes Bota.

ANEXO

Intervention de Mr. Mendes Bota, Rapporteur Général sur La Violence à l’Égard des Femmes sur le théme «L’Assemblée parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe et le Réseau parlementaire pour «le droit des femmes de vivre sans violence» Conférence régionale sur la Prévention et la lutte contre la violence à l’égard des femmes Rabat, 25 septembre 2012

«Mesdames, Messieurs, En matiére de violence á l’çgard des femmes, il y a actuellement un dçcalage important entre ce que la loi prévoit et ce qui se passe dans la réalité. Dans tous les systèmes juridiques, la loi pénale interdit la violence. Il existe des normes très générales qui sanctionnent la violence faite à qui que ce soit.
Cela ne suffit pas.
La violence faite aux femmes a des caractéristiques spéciales, qui la rendent particulièrement difficile à détecter. Elle est changeante et capable d’çchapper á bien des contrôles. Elle se cache trés souvent au sein

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des foyers, dans un espace privé où la loi a plus difficilement accès. Un espace où nous aimons croire que la loi n’a pas besoin d’intervenir. La maison, ainsi que les lieux de travail, sont des endroits où l’on pourrait penser que chacun, chacune est en sécurité. Malheureusement, la situation/réalité est parfois différente. L’Etat a la responsabilitç d’assurer la sçcuritç des citoyennes et des citoyens. C’est la raison pour laquelle il doit se doter de moyens suffisants. Je ne parle pas forcément de moyens financiers, bien que ceux-ci soient également nécessaires. Je me rçfére tout d’abord á un arsenal juridique nouveau, moderne, efficace. Des normes visant à éradiquer la violence de genre et la violence domestique en luttant sur tous les fronts en mème temps. Il s’agit en effet de prévenir la violence, de protéger les victimes et de punir les auteurs, comme cela a été déjà expliqué par plusieurs orateurs au cours de cette conférence.
- Nous ne pouvons pas accepter que certaines formes de violence ne soient pas reconnues en tant que crimes.
- Nous ne pouvons pas accepter que certains crimes restent impunis. - Nous ne pouvons pas accepter que les femmes victimes de violence ne soient pas aidées, voire même qu’elle soient considçrçes comme responsables de la violence qu’elles ont subie.

Nous devons donc nous dçbarrasser á tout prix d’une pluralitç de formes de violence qui se manifestent quotidiennement dans notre société:

– La violence psychologique, par exemple, doit ètre prçvue en tant que dçlit spçcifique. Elle ne l’est pas dans de nombreux systèmes de droit pénal.
– Le stalking, c’est á dire le harcélement dans sa forme la plus extrême et obsessionnelle; une vraie persçcution faite d’appels tçlçphoniques, de messages, de menaces, qui compromet la vie de la victime et vise à la priver de sa liberté, voire à anéantir sa volonté; – toutes les formes de violence sexuelle et de viol, y compris le viol conjugal;

Nous voulons que les auteurs de toute forme de violence á l’çgard des femmes soient effectivement punis.
Il ne faut pas que les sanctions pour les faits de violence á l’çgard des femmes existent seulement sur papier.
Cela tout d’abord pour un souci de justice. Mais également pour une question de prévention. Appliquer la loi de façon cohçrente dans les tribunaux est la meilleure façon de combattre la violence et d’çviter qu’elle se rçpéte. Les systèmes alternatifs fondés uniquement sur une médiation entre la victime et l’auteur de la violence sont vouçs á l’çchec et je ne peux que m’y opposer. Les individus violents ont une tendance á rçcidiver et le risque de rçcidive est encore plus important s’ils ne doivent pas rçpondre de leurs faits. Les moyens techniques adéquats dont les magistrats doivent être munis, auxquels je faisais référence au début de mon intervention, comprennent les mesures spéciales visant à protéger les femmes à risque contre toute violence ou bien qui ont déjà subi des actes de violence ou des menaces. Il est primordial que des ordonnances d’urgence d’interdiction, ainsi que des ordonnances d’injonction ou de protection puissent ètre çmises par l’autoritç judiciaire.
Encore, il est nécessaire que les victimes de violence soient dédommagées.

La Convention d’Istanbul prçvoit tout cela. La criminalisation spçcifique des diffçrents types de violence, la prévention, une responsabilité directe de l’Etat face aux victimes.
C’est un texte exhaustif, fondé sur une approche «holistique», qui prend donc en considération le problème de la violence dans toute sa complexité et crée un cadre adéquat pour la combattre.
Les aspects techniques, juridiques de la Convention d’Istanbul vous ont çtç illustrçs par plusieurs orateurs.
Je voudrais souligner maintenant l’engagement politique de l’Assemblçe parlementaire pour que les Etats membres du Conseil de l’Europe et mème les pays tiers adhèrent à la Convention.
Un bon nombre de gouvernements ont dçjá signç ce texte, mais il n’y a eu pour l’instant qu’une ratification, de la part de la Turquie, et nous souhaiterions voir une forte accélération de ce processus, afin que la convention entre en vigueur aussitôt que possible.

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L’Assemblçe parlementaire s’est engagçe depuis longtemps dans la lutte contre la violence faite aux femmes et la violence domestique. Elle s’est dotçe d’une structure inçdite qui est le Rçseau pour « le droit des femmes de vivre sans violence « . Il s’agit de parlementaires des parlements nationaux des Etats membres du Conseil de l’Europe, qui crçent une liaison permanente entre eux et avec l’Assemblçe afin d’amçliorer l’efficacitç de leur action en matiére de lutte contre la violence de genre.
Je tiens á signaler que la composition du Rçseau n’est plus limitçe aux Etats membres du Conseil, car il s’est ouvert aux parlements dotés du statut de partenaires pour la démocratie. Et ces parlements, à savoir le parlement du Maroc et l’Assemblç lçgislative palestinienne, ont rçpondu á notre appel en dçsignant des parlementaires de référence parmi leurs membres. Je salue encore une fois, ici, à Rabat, ce signe d’engagement et de coopçration active de la part du parlement marocain.
Aprés plus de 200 activitçs mençes dans 40 parlement nationaux gràce á l’initiative de 56 parlementaires de rçfçrence, l’Assemblçe a décidé en 2008 que le Réseau devait continuer ses activités. Cela était prévue par une résolution très importante, numéro 1635 (2008) dont le titre est très clair : Combattre la violence á l’çgard des femmes : pour une convention du Conseil de l’Europe. L’Assemblçe parlementaire peut donc lçgitimement revendiquer avoir inspiré la Convention.
Actuellement, la priorité numéro 1 du Réseau parlementaire pour le « droit des femmes de vivre sans violence « est la promotion de la Convention d’Istanbul. En particulier, nous avons voulu offrir à nos membres un cadre aussi complet que possible sur ce qu’il est possible de faire pour éradiquer la violence de genre.
A travers une série de rencontres, nous avons traité de différents aspects de cette violence: nous avons parlé, par exemple, de stalking et de viol conjugal, en rencontrant des personnes impliquées personnellement, en tant qu’activistes, opçrateurs sur le terrain et parfois mème victimes.
Je tiens ici à vous signaler un autre instrument que le Réseau a produit et dont nous sommes fiers, car il nous paraît extrèmement utile. Il s’agit d’une publication au sujet de la Convention d’Istanbul, dont le titre est «A l’abri de la peur, á l’abri de la violence«. Nous l’avons appelç «Manuel á l’usage des parlementaires» et, en effet, les parlementaires en sont les premiers destinataires.
Pourtant, ce petit livre est également destiné à tous ceux qui sont engagés dans la lutte contre la violence à l’çgard des femmes, mème en dehors des parlements. Le texte illustre le contenu de la Convention, avec ses prçvisions en matiére de prçvention, poursuite, protection. Mais tout d’abord il explique pourquoi une convention sur ce thème était nécessaire.
En ce qui concerne spécifiquement la ratification de la Convention, les parlementaires ont une responsabilité majeure. Dans presque tous les systèmes constitutionnels, la procédure de ratification relève de la compétence du parlement. De plus, ils peuvent, à tout moment, interroger leur gouvernement sur son soutien à la Convention; demander à leur gouvernement où en est le processus de signature; ainsi qu’organiser des dçbats nationaux sur la Convention, au sein du parlement et çgalement á l’extçrieur de celuici.
Une fois que la Convention sera entrée en vigueur, le Comité des Ministres du Conseil de l’Europe pourra inviter même les pays non-membres qui n’ont pas participç aux nçgociations á y accçder. Le Maroc ne pourra qu’ètre parmi les premier pays á recevoir une telle invitation, compte tenu des liens de coopçration de plus en plus étroits qui unissent ce pays à notre organisation, dont témoigne même la conférence à laquelle nous participons.
Par ailleurs la rçsolution adoptç cette annçe par l’Assemblçe sur L’çgalitç entre les hommes et les femmes : une condition pour le succès du printemps arabe, invitait le Maroc à prendre en considération la possibilité d’accçder á la Convention.
Pour ces différentes raisons, le réseau parlementaire peut jouer un rôle important dans la promotion de la Convention et il s’y investit sans mçnager ses efforts.
Par ailleurs, le combat contre la violence faite aux femmes exige la coopération de tous. Les acteurs publics et privçs, l’Etat comme la sociçtç civile, le monde de l’information comme celui de la culture et de la recherche.
Je me réjouis donc d’ètre ici entourç par des reprçsentants des institutions, de l’acadçmie et de la sociçtç civile, tous prêts à coopérer, dans un pays qui est de plus en plus engagé et conscient que la violence de genre doit ètre çradiquçe et qu’il faut agir rapidement, sans aucune hésitation.

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Un des buts de la Convention d’Istanbul est de contribuer á un changement de mentalitç. Trop souvent les femmes acceptent la violence comme une réalité inévitable, leurs familles et leur milieu social les poussent au silence. La loi est souvent le reflet de la mentalité courante. Grâce à cette convention, nous pouvons faire en sorte que ce soit la loi qui change les mentalités.

Merci de votre attention.»

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Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação na 4.ª Parte da Sessão de 2012 da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE), que decorreu em Estrasburgo, no dia 2 de outubro de 2012

Relatório n.º 61

No dia 2 de outubro de 2012, participei numa reunião da Comissão da Igualdade e Não-Discriminação, durante a qual fiz uma intervenção de apresentação da estrutura do relatório que irei elaborar sobre “Criminalising the purchase of sex to combat the trafficking of people for sexual exploitation”, e que consta no anexo A deste relatório. Seguiu-se um debate, tendo feito uma intervenção final, em resposta às questões suscitadas.
Fiz ainda uma intervenção defendendo que a moção subordinada ao tema “Tackling intolerance and discrimination in Europe with a special focus on Christianity” deveria dar origem a um relatório e não uma simples nota de informação. Submetida a votação, a posição que defendi mereceu vencimento.
No final do dia, fiz uma intervenção no debate do relatório Stavrositu subordinado ao tema “Political parties and women’s political representation”, cujo texto integral consta do Anexo B do presente relatório.
No dia 3 de Outubro de 2012 participei numa reunião da Comissão da Igualdade e Não-Discriminação, durante a qual teve lugar uma audição sobre o tema “Tackling racismo in the police”, com a participação de quatro oradores convidados: – Deborah Glass, do Reino Unido; – Julien le Gars, da França; – Chantal Pons-Masouaki, da França; – Lanna Hollo, da França.

Seguidamente, na minha qualidade de Relator Geral sobre a Violência Contra as Mulheres, e de Coordenador Político da Parliamentary Network “Women Free From Violence”, tive reuniões bilaterais com as seguintes entidades: – Susanna Huovinen, presidente da Delegação da Finlândia, na APCE; – Fernand Boden, presidente da Delegação do Luxemburgo, na APCE, acompanhado dos deputados Lydia Mutsch e Norbert Haupert; – Puridur Backman, presidente da Delegação da Islândia, na APCE; – Battaini-Dragoni, Secretária Geral Adjunta do Conselho da Europa; – Nursuna Memecan, presidente da Delegação da Turquia, na APCE.

Em todas estas reuniões, dei conta das atividades que estão sendo levadas a efeito pela Network, e solicitei apoio e envolvimento para as mesmas.

Assembleia da República, 5 de outubro de 2012.
O Deputado do PSD, José Mendes Bota.

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ANEXO A

Criminalising the purchase of sex to combat the trafficking of people for sexual exploitation Outline for a report Rapporteur: Mr Mendes Bota

Introduction The report is originated by a motion for a resolution tabled by Mr Luca Volonté (Italy, EPP/CD) and other members.
Trafficking in human beings is a modern form of slavery which the Parliamentary Assembly and the Council of Europe as a whole are strongly committed to fight. It is a severe violation of human rights and, as it affects women disproportionately, it constitutes a major obstacle to gender equality.
All European countries are affected by human trafficking, either as countries of origin, of transit or of destination. In a large number of cases, human trafficking is perpetrated for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
Victims, again mostly girls and women, are forcibly or deceptively recruited into the sex industry. A large proportion of sex workers in European countries are of foreign origin, both from other European and third countries. The link between human trafficking and sexual exploitation, however, is not always easy to detect and prove, as victims are often reluctant to report perpetrators to the police, for fear of the perpetrators themselves or of the risk of deportation.
Legal approaches on prostitution vary widely amongst Council of Europe member states, ranging from legalisation to criminalisation. Legalisation implies a regulation of prostitution by the state, notably in the form of provisions on health and safety and workers’ protection. On the other hand, criminalisation can take the form of prohibitionism, seeking to ban prostitution by penalising all aspects of it, or of abolitionism, in which the sale of sex is not punishable but related activities (procuring, soliciting, advertising) are.
The strictest form of criminalisation was first introduced in Sweden and it consists of criminalising the purchase of sex. Clients of prostitutes are sanctioned, but the activity of selling sex is not considered illegal.
Similar legislation was subsequently introduced in Norway and Iceland.

Aim of the report The aim of this report is to assess the impact of criminalisation of the purchase of sex on trafficking in human beings. This will imply an analysis of the various current legislation on prostitution in Europe and their effects on trafficking.

The report will be articulated as follows:

1. Trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation in Europe: state of play 2. Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings in Europe: national legislation and policies 3. International obligations on combating trafficking in human beings 4. Different legal approaches on prostitution: criminalisation and legalisation 5. Overview of legislation on prostitution in the Council of Europe member states 6. Impact on trafficking in human beings (different case-studies: Germany and Sweden) 7. The point of view of sex-workers organisations 8. Conclusions and recommendations

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ANEXO B

Speech by Mr. Mendes Bota on the debate of the report Stavrositu (doc 13022) on “Political parties and women’s political representation” Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Strasbourg, 2nd of October 2012

Mr. President, Dear Colleagues, We give for granted to live in countries where voters have a free choice on what everybody considers there are “free and fair” elections.
We give for granted to live in countries without opacity, falsification of electoral protocols, without pressure, violence or intimidation of candidates and voters during an electoral campaign.
Imagine such democratic paradises with equal access to impartial, independent and neutral media, with secrecy on the ballot and transparency on political accountability, where everybody has assured the right to vote, including people with disabilities and illiterature.
Let’s imagine this is happening in all 47 member Estates of the Council of Europe.
Even if this could happen, and unfortunately is not happening, very hardly we could say we live in a full democracy.
Maybe we could describe it as an half-democracy, as the access of women to political representation is far from being fair and balanced.
Parliaments look like mirrors of the political scene on each country. What do we see in these mirrors? We see that women in 35 of the 47 member Estates of the Council of Europe count less than 30% of the parliamentary seats.
Surely, we recognize there is not a single equation and a single solution. There are different paths and speed are different. But we believe, as Mrs. Stavrositu emphasizes in her relevant report, the bottom neck, this glass ceiling, lives in the heart of most of the existing political parties in Europe.
Yes! Quotas might be decisive. But we have to say there are countries without imposed quotas scoring the highest women’s participation, and countries with quotas who did not achieved the objective of greater gender equality in the political spectrum.
Quotas might not be indispensable, or even might not be sufficient in need of other complementary measures.
There are voluntary quotas assumed by political parties, and quotas imposed by law.
We find weak sanctions, such as fines, and radical sanctions, as exclusion from electoral process.
We have weak incentives, as additional subsidies, but let me tell how much I have this conviction that the strongest incentive of all could be additional broadcasting time during electoral campaigns for the parties that achieve the best level of gender balance in their lists of candidates.
But the major problem is inside political parties. A lot of good practices could inspire them to run to the Gender Equality Prize created by this Assembly, starting by changing and their candidate selection bodies, usually controlled by men, tending to choose other men.
Political parties need to attract more women to politics, giving them the opportunity to be protagonists in equal opportunities such as men.
Women can be promoted by political parties, by creating internal women’s structures, developing mentoring and training programs, improving women’s media skills, sharing broadcasting time during campaigns and reconciling political activities with family responsabilities.
Formal commitments by political parties regarding gender equality are important but not enough. Political leaders might play a relevant role on gender mainstreaming their camps.
I do believe talent has no gender, as intelligence has no gender. But equality of opportunities is far from being achieved by political parties. Imagine how much it could be different. Maybe one day, sooner than later, imagination might come true. And half-democracy could become a full democracy.

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Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação na Conferência organizada pelo European Women’s Lobby e reuniões bilaterais, no âmbito da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE),que teve lugar em Bruxelas, no dia 8 de outubro de 2012

Relatório n.º 62

No dia 8 de outubro de 2012 participei, pela manhã, como orador convidado e na qualidade de Relator Geral sobre a Violència Contra as Mulheres da APCE, num Seminário organizado pelo European Women’s Lobby, realizada no Parlamento Europeu, e subordinado ao tema “From de local to the global level: Moving forward to end violence against women”.
Participaram, entre muitas dezenas de representantes de ONG de diversas partes do mundo, Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur das Nações Unidas sobre a Violência Contra as Mulheres, Mikael Gustafsson, presidente da Comissão dos Direitos das Mulheres, do Parlamento Europeu, e vários representantes da Comissão Europeia e do Conselho Europeu.
A primeira parte do seminário foi dedicada a debater a necessidade de assegurar conclusões fortes da reunião da Comissão do Estatuto da Mulher das Nações Unidas, que se realizará em março de 2013, em Nova Iorque, e que a União Europeia deverá ter uma posição unida, sólida e de liderança.
No debate que teve lugar, fiz uma intervenção em que referi os seguintes aspetos:

– O retrocesso nos direitos das mulheres rumo à igualdade de género já era visível ainda antes da crise financeira de 2008, sendo que os objetivos de Pequim devem ser renovados com vista à sua concretização; – Fala-se muito da distância que vai entre as medidas no papel e a respetiva implementação, mas a verdade é que a fase do papel é importante, necessária e imprescindível. Precede os planos e as ações; – A União Europeia, apesar de todas as resoluções aprovadas pelo Parlamento Europeu, ainda não dispõe de uma diretiva com força de lei para combater a violência contra as mulheres, e a diretiva sobre os direitos das vítimas em geral, aprovada a 4 de outubro passado, não a substitui na plenitude; – Os cortes orçamentais nas linhas de defesa dos direitos das mulheres deveriam ser os últimos dos cortes e não os primeiros; – Depois de o Conselho da Europa ter realizado a campanha de 2006-2008 contra a violência sobre as mulheres, seria de todo o interesse que a União Europeia lançasse uma campanha nesse sentido, e estabelecesse o Ano da União Europeia pelo fim da Violência contra as Mulheres.

O segundo painel deste seminário foi dedicado à ratificação da Convenção do Conselho da Europa para a Prevenção e o Combate á Violència Contra as Mulheres e a Violència Domçstica, a denominada “Convenção de Istambul”.
Fiz a intervenção de base do tema, cujo teor integral consta no anexo deste relatório.
Na parte da tarde mantive três reuniões bilaterais com as seguintes entidades, não só para lhes dar a conhecer a atividade da Network Parlamentar “Women Free From Violence”, bem como para solicitar apoio na caminhada para a ratificação da Convenção para a Prevenção e o Combate à Violência Contra as Mulheres e a Violência Doméstica:

– Joanna Goodey, Head of Freedoms and Justice Department, da European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA); – Jurgita Peciuriene, gender expert do European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE); – Torbjorn Froysnes, embaixador e diretor do escritório do Conselho da Europa junto da União Europeia.

Na minha qualidade de relator da temática “Criminalising the purchase of sex to combat the trafficking of people for sexual exploitation”, tive uma reunião de trabalho com Pierrette Pape, coordenadora de projecto do European Women’s Lobby em Bruxelas e Grçgoire Thery, secretário-geral do Mouvement du Nid, de

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França, recolhendo as suas opiniões sobre esta problemática, e dando a conhecer as linhas orientadoras do meu relatório.

Assembleia da República, 8 de outubro de 2012.
O Deputado do PSD, José Mendes Bota.

ANEXO

Speech by Mr. Mendes Bota, General Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, on the Seminar “From the local to the global level: Moving forward to end violence against women” Organised by the European Women’s Lobby Brussels, 8 October 2012, European Parliament

Introduction Firstly, I would like to thank the European Women Lobby for their invitation and for having organized this seminar. Indeed, such forum for discussion and exchange of ideas are of utmost importance to enable a coordinated and efficient action as far as combating violence against women is concerned.
I have been appointed Rapporteur general on violence against women in early 2012 but my commitment to this cause dates back to 2006, when I took active part in the Council of Europe campaign ‘Stop domestic violence against women’. At the time, this campaign saw more than 200 activities being organized among the 47 Council of Europe member states to raise awareness on the issue of violence against women.
Then, I had the privilege to represent the Parliamentary Assembly in the Council of Europe Ad Hoc Committee on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. This Committee has employed considerable time and resources (nearly 2 years and 9 meetings of government representatives) to draft a comprehensive, innovative and ambitious Convention on violence against women and domestic violence. In doing so, it has followed up the request repeatedly made in this same Parliament where we sit today to set up a legally-binding instrument encompassing the highest possible standards on preventing, protecting against and prosecuting the most severe and widespread forms of gender-based violence.

The Convention Groundbreaking features recognizes violence against women as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination – this means that states are held responsible if they do not respond adequately to such violence is the first international treaty to contain a definition of gender – recognized that there is a socially constructed category of gender that assigns women and men their particular roles and behaviors introduces a set of groundbreaking criminal offences such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage, stalking, forced abortion and forced sterilization. calls for the involvement of all relevant state agencies ad services so that violence against women and domestic violence are tackled in a coordinated way established a strong, independent mechanism to monitor its implementation at national level

What does the convention require states to do? The Convention aims to ensure that the needs and safety of victims are placed at the heart of all its measures. It is a landmark instrument establishing high standards in the field of prevention of gender-based violence, protection and assistance for its victims and prosecutions of the perpetrators.

Prevention change attitudes, gender roles and stereotypes that make VAW not acceptable train professionals working with victims raise awareness of the different forms of violence Consultar Diário Original

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include teaching material on equality issues I the curricula at all levels of education co-operate with NGOs, the media and the private sector to reach out to the public

Protection set up specialized support services that provide medical assistance as well as psychological and legal counseling to victims and their children set up shelters in sufficient numbers ad introduce free of charge round-the-clock telephone helplines

Prosecution ensure that VAW is criminalised and appropriately punished ensure that excuses on the grounds of culture, custom, religion or so-called ‘honour’ are unacceptable for any act of violence ensure that victims have access to special protection measures during investigation and judicial proceedings ensure that law enforcement agencies respond immediately to calls for assistance ad manage dangerous situations adequately

Comprehensive policies involve all relevant actors (government agencies, national, regional and local authorities, civil society organizations and many more) The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence was opened to signature on 11 May 2011: 24 countries have already signed it, one has ratified. More than 50% of the member Estates! It will enter into force once 10 countries have ratified it. One ratification is not enough and we need to join efforts to urge governments to ratify this Convention.
For all the reasons listed above, the European Union could and should accede to this Convention. I am sure all stakeholders around this table are well aware of its added value in the fight against violence against women in Europe and worldwide but clear political commitment is needed.

How to promote the Convention? The Network In the ratification process of the Convention, the action of parliamentarians is crucial in order for the Convention not to remain mere words. I am therefore very proud to be the Political coordinator of the Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence. This Network is made of 51 men and women who commit themselves on a daily basis and with conviction in their parliaments, working in the field with NGOs to raise awareness on the issue of violence against women.
Major achievements of the Network:
visibility material: newsletter, leaflet poster – we need such tools to reach out parliamentarians but also the general public Participation in human rights film festivals: Throughout Europe, human rights film festivals are being organised and often include films on violence against women and domestic violence. We have contacted directors of these festivals with the idea of Network members participating in discussions following the screening of films about violence against women and domestic violence and raising awareness about the Convention. Handbook: last September, we held a conference in Tirana (Albania) where a handbook for parliamentarians was officially launched. This is an essential tool to better understand the Convention and thus better defend it. Several members of the Network have already taken the initiative to support the translation of the Handbook into their national languages and its promotion in their parliaments. parliamentary seminars: with this Handbook, around the International Day for the elimination of violence against women, 25 November 2012 and the ensuing 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, some Consultar Diário Original

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parliamentarians of the Network will organise seminars in their own parliaments to raise knowledge of the Convention among their colleagues and smoothen out the ratification process. It will consist in a general presentation of the Istanbul Convention and its added value, from a political and legal point of view. Then we will have an overview of the main aspects of the national legislation of the country concerned that require adaptation, followed by a session of questions and answers with parliamentarians and the competent Ministers as regards the ratification process and where it stands.
Furthermore, the Council of Europe will organize a side event during the next session of the Commission on the Status of Women next March.

Call for an European-wide awareness-raising campaign on combating violence against women the European Commission adopted in 2010 its strategy for quality between women and men (20102015) which includes ending gender-based violence as one of five policy priorities. This strategy mentions a European-wide awareness-raising campaign on combating violence against women

 A campaign would mean demonstrating global commitment among European countries on the elimination of all forms of violence;  Provide tangible information on a national level to the victims on where to find support Fund national authorities and NGOs dealing with this topic.

Within a European campaign on combating violence against women, the promotion of the signature and ratification of the Istanbul Convention should be listed as a priority and close-cooperation should be initiated between the Council of Europe, the European Union and the non-governmental organisations active in this field in order to pool ideas, efforts and resources to implement a precise strategy.
Thank you very much for your attention and support.

A DIVISÃO DE REDAÇÃO E APOIO AUDIOVISUAL.

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