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Sábado, 11 de Outubro de 2014 II Série-2 — Número D
XII LEGISLATURA 4.ª SESSÃO LEGISLATIVA (2014-2015)
S U M Á R I O
Delegações e Deputações da Assembleia da República: — Relatório da participação da Assembleia da República na Conferência Europeia de Presidentes de Parlamentos organizada pela Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE) e pelo Parlamento da Noruega, que decorreu em Oslo, nos dias 11 e 12 de setembro de 2014.
— Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação num Seminário organizado pelo Governo da Islândia e pelo Centre for Gender Equality sobre Violência Contra as Mulheres, da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE), que decorreu em Reykjavik (Islândia) no dia 25 de setembro de 2014.
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DELEGAÇÕES E DEPUTAÇÕES DA ASSEMBLEIA DA REPÚBLICA
Relatório da participação da Assembleia da República na Conferência Europeia de Presidentes de
Parlamentos organizada pela Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE) e pelo
Parlamento da Noruega, que decorreu em Oslo, nos dias 11 e 12 de setembro de 2014
A Conferência Europeia de Presidentes de Parlamentos, organizada pela Assembleia Parlamentar do
Conselho da Europa (APCE) e pelo Parlamento da Noruega decorreu em Oslo, nos dias 11 e 12 de setembro.
A Assembleia da República (AR) esteve representada pelo Presidente da Delegação da AR à APCE,
Deputado Mota Amaral, que foi acompanhado pelo signatário, que participou também, em representação do
Secretário-Geral da AR, na Reunião de Secretários-Gerais dos Parlamentos membros desta organização
parlamentar internacional.
A abertura da Conferência teve lugar no dia 11 de setembro no Stortinget – edifício do Parlamento
norueguês – com intervenções do Presidente do Parlamento, Olemic Thommessen, da Presidente da APCE,
Anne Brasseur, do Secretário-Geral do Conselho da Europa, Thorbjorn Jagland, e do Ministro norueguês para
o Espaço Económico Europeu e Assuntos Europeus, Vidar Helgesen.
Antes de se iniciarem as intervenções foi respeitado um minuto de silêncio em memória da Presidente do
Nationalrat da Áustria, Barbara Prammer, falecida a 3 de agosto, na sequência de doença prolongada.
Das intervenções iniciais destacam-se os comentários aos 3 temas da Conferência:
1. Direitos constitucionais fundamentais e liberdades – participação, confiança e debate público como
condições para a democracia
2. Democracia, soberania e segurança na Europa
3. Maioria e oposição – procurando o equilíbrio democrático
O Presidente Olemic Thommessen fez notar que todos os temas são debates da democracia moderna e
que é importante encontrar uma resposta para todos eles, tendo o Secretário-Geral do Conselho da Europa
referido, no seu discurso, a necessidade de ter as condições institucionais normais na Ucrânia, realçando o
esforço do Conselho da Europa na defesa do reforço dos direitos humanos.
As intervenções de abertura do tema 1 - Direitos constitucionais fundamentais e liberdades – participação,
confiança e debate público como condições para a democracia, couberam à Presidente da Câmara dos
Deputados de Itália, Laura Boldrini, e ao Professor Jan Helgesen, 1º Vice-Presidente da Comissão de Veneza
e membro do Centro Norueguês de Direitos Humanos.
A Presidente Laura Boldrini referiu a necessidade de maior aproximação aos cidadãos, tendo dado como
exemplos maior presença nas redes sociais ou encontros de hackers para melhor disponibilizar informação
dos parlamentos aos cidadãos. Informou mesmo ter intenção de propor uma Carta dos Direitos Fundamentais
para a Internet.
O Professor Jan Helgesen referiu a importância das Constituições e dos direitos fundamentais nelas
expressos na defesa dos direitos humanos.
Seguiu-se um período de intervenções de 30 Presidentes ou Vice-Presidentes de Parlamentos, concluído
com notas dos dois intervenientes iniciais, que sumarizaram o debate.
Passou-se depois ao debate do tema 2 - Democracia, soberania e segurança na Europa – tendo a
apresentação do mesmo sido feita pelo Presidente do Parlamento da Dinamarca, Mogens Lykketoft.
A discussão deste tema centrou-se muito na questão da Ucrânia, com intervenções muito críticas da
atuação da Rússia no leste da Ucrânia, em especial pelos Presidentes dos Parlamentos dos países Bálticos e
da Polónia.
O Vice-Presidente da Duma russa criticou muitos por não saberem a situação na sua totalidade,
defendendo a posição da Rússia neste conflito. Criticou especialmente os Estados Unidos, que tomam posição
a favor da Ucrânia, quando nem 10% dos seus habitantes sabem onde ficam estes territórios.
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De seguida interveio o Presidente do Parlamento da Ucrânia que denunciou todos os ataques feitos pela
Rússia à integridade do território ucraniano, apelando a todos que apoiem a Ucrânia na defesa contra a
violação sistemática de todas as regras pela Rússia.
De notar ainda intervenções dos Presidentes dos parlamentos do Azerbeijão e da Arménia sobre o conflito
que opõe os 2 países na região de Naborno/Karabakh.
No final das 25 intervenções sobre o tema, o Presidente do Parlamento da Dinamarca voltou a apelar ao
cumprimento das regras internacionais, devendo os Parlamentos contribuir para uma solução do conflito no
leste da Ucrânia.
No dia 12 de setembro, além de se concluir o debate do tema 2, passou-se ao tema 3 – Maioria e oposição
– procurando o equilíbrio democrático, com intervenções iniciais do Presidente do Parlamento da Geórgia,
David Usupashvili, e da Presidente do Senado da Holanda, Ankie Broekers-Knol.
A intervenção da Presidente do Senado holandês ficou marcada pela evocação dos 198 holandeses
falecidos no avião da Malásia Airlines, referindo que nestes casos maioria e oposição não são relevantes na
condenação destes ataques brutais.
Findas as 15 intervenções neste tema, que reforçaram o papel das oposições como garantia da
democracia, foi feito um sumário do tema pelo Presidente do Parlamento da Geórgia.
Após a conclusão dos debates sobre os 3 temas, o Presidente do Parlamento da Noruega, Olemic
Thommessen, e a Presidente da APCE, Anne Brasseur, apresentaram as Conclusões da Presidência da
Conferência, assinalando a presença de 40 Presidentes na mesma, sinal do empenhamento de todos no
âmbito desta organização parlamentar internacional.
Finalmente, deve ainda salientar-se o excelente apoio dado à delegação portuguesa pela Embaixadora de
Portugal em Oslo, Dra. Clara Nunes dos Santos.
Anexam-se o Programa final da Conferência, a Lista de participantes, bem como os documentos
distribuídos sobre os 3 temas da mesma.
Lisboa, 15 de setembro de 2014.
O Adjunto do Secretário-Geral, José Manuel Araújo.
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Relatório elaborado pelo Deputado Mendes Bota, do PSD, relativo à sua participação num Seminário
organizado pelo Governo da Islândia e pelo Centre for Gender Equality sobre Violência Contra as
Mulheres, da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa (APCE), que decorreu em Reykjavik
(Islândia) no dia 25 de setembro de 2014
No dia 25 de Setembro de 2014, participei num Seminário organizado pelo Governo da Islândia e pelo
Centre for Gender Equality deste Estado membro do Conselho da Europa, subordinado ao tema “Zero
Tolerance – Actions to Prevent Gender-based Violence.
Na qualidade de Relator sobre a Violência contra as Mulheres da APCE, coube-me fazer uma intervenção
de fundo intitulada “Istanbul Convention: the golden standard on combating violence against women, cujo texto
figura no anexo deste relatório.
Intervieram também vários representantes de Estados Nórdicos, como a Dinamarca, a Suécia, a Noruega e
a Finlândia.
No debate final fiz três intervenções de esclarecimento sobre aspetos concretos da Convenção.
Os trabalhos foram encerrados pela Ministra dos Assuntos Sociais e da Habitação, Eygló Hardardóttir, com
quem mantive uma conversa no sentido de levar a Islândia, que foi um dos Estados signatários da Convenção
de Istambul logo no dia 11 de Maio de 2011, a proceder finalmente à ratificação.
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Assembleia da República, 27 de Setembro de 2014.
O Deputado do PSD, José Mendes Bota.
ANEXO
Nordic Seminar on “best practises” in combatting violence against women
Grand Hotel Reykjavik, September 25, 2014
Mr Mendes Bota’s presentation on The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating
violence against women and domestic violence: Implementation and effect.
‘Beyond words: a vision of society’
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me some introductory notes.
I became deeply involved on the issue of gender equality and combating violence against women in the
year 2006, at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, by the occasion of the great campaign
against the trafficking of women to be forced to prostitution at the doors of the stadiums, during the FIFA World
Football Championship in Germany.
I entered in a meeting of the Committee on Equality of Opportunities Between Women and Men. There were
no more than women. And they were discussing about football, matches and footballers that agreed to appear
together on this campaign. 80.000 women were supposed to be trafficked for sexual exploitation coming from
Asia, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, at the hands of Mafiosi organizations.
I spoke against it, that day, and the following day on the Plenary of the Parliamentary Assembly. I have
accused Mr. Blatter and the Fifa to be accomplices to this outrageous operation, symbolizing the Saint Trinity of
Sex, Football and Beer. Women applauded vibrantly, European media quoted my words the following day.
I have never stopped since then. Vice-chair and then chair of the Committee on Equality, General
Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Political Coordinator of the Parliamentary Network “Women Free
From Violence”, author of the Resolution that, in 2008, proposed to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe the drafting and approval of a Convention on the issue.
I have participated on the drafting of the Convention, made the final report, and have been promoting the
signature and ratification of this binding international instrument all along the last three years. Finally, last 1st of
August, it entered into force, 14 ratifications already on the list, and 22 more are on the way. My mission is
accomplished!
This became my faith: the need to achieve gender equality and to end violence against women in all its
forms.
This has become my main mission as a politician and a legislator, as well as a man. All too often, men are
just spectators of women’s battle to achieve gender equality. This is wrong. The battle of gender equality can
be won only if men and women fight it together; furthermore, this is a battle for the benefit of all, not only
women but also men].
Thank you very much for inviting me to this seminar to speak about the Council of Europe Convention on
preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. In short: the Istanbul Convention.
This is my first visit to Iceland, and I hope it contributes to sensibilize the Icelandic authorities in order to
give the step of ratification, three years after having subscribed this Convention.
The many ways to describe the Istanbul Convention
As I have said, this Convention was opened for signature in May 2011 and entered into force on 1 August
this year. I believe that, despite its young age, the Istanbul Convention has already set a record: no other treaty
has been defined in so many ways and praised for so many reasons.
The most common words to describe it are: unique, unprecedented, innovative, comprehensive, far-
reaching, landmark.
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Ms Lakshmi Puri, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, defined the Istanbul Convention as ‘the gold
standard’. I agree with her.
Added value
The Istanbul Convention is the first binding instrument which explicitly recognises violence against women
as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination.
It is the first international treaty to contain a definition of gender, which refers to “the socially constructed
roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men”. This
means that it is now recognised that women and men are not only biologically female or male, but that there is
also a socially constructed category of gender that assigns women and men their particular roles and
behaviours.
It asks States to introduce a set of criminal offences such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage,
psychological violence, stalking, sexual harassment, sexual violence including rape, forced abortion and forced
sterilisation.
One of the main assets of the Istanbul Convention is that it is based on a holistic approach – the so-called 4 Ps:
Preventing violence
Protecting the victims
Persecuting the perpetrators
Integrated policies
This means that, to tackle violence against women, all these aspects must be addressed. At the same time,
it is necessary to bring together all the relevant actors: public authorities at national, regional and local level,
police, judges, civil society, as well as national human rights institutions. Ministries, State agencies and NGOs
should not act alone but in synergy and cooperation. Violence against women and domestic violence must be
tackled in a co-ordinated way.
Going beyond the golden standard
The Istanbul Convention offers a set of golden rules that can be applied in a variety of countries. The status
of women varies greatly amongst different Council of Europe member States. However, even though in
different ways, wherever they are all women share the scourge of gender-based and domestic violence.
Let me underline an important point. The Convention sets high standards and some of its principles are
entirely new to the legal systems of our countries. However, these standards are a minimum threshold. Nothing
prevents States from going even further. On the contrary, States parties are encouraged to widen the scope of
the norms and introduce even more protective measures.
Furthermore, the Istanbul Convention can be applied to all victims of domestic violence, irrespective of their
gender. Women are by far the largest group of victims. But men, children and the elderly may also suffer at the
hands of their family members. They may need protection as well.
Celebrating the entry into force
A few days ago, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, in cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Council of Europe organised a big conference in Rome to mark the entry into force of the Istanbul
Convention. This great achievement, which is certainly one to celebrate, does not mean that our efforts are
over. The extent of violence against women and the lack of awareness around it suggest that the Istanbul
Convention will be the starting point of a long process to change the heart and minds of people.
Implementation and monitoring
No matter how good the standards are, they are worthless if they are not implemented.
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The Istanbul Convention adds value to its standards as it establishes a strong monitoring mechanism, which
should become operational starting from March 2015.
This mechanism will include two bodies:
- the GREVIO, Group of experts on action against violence against women and domestic violence, made
up of 10 to 15 members with a four year mandate;
- and the Committee of the Parties, composed of representatives of the State Parties to the Convention.
GREVIO members will be people competent in the fields of human rights, gender equality and violence
against women. They will have to be not only competent, but also independent in the exercise of their functions.
Parliaments will also be involved in monitoring the implementation of the Convention. Monitoring will be
based on reports submitted by the State parties, but also on information provided by the parliaments.
This involvement of parliamentarians is twofold: at national level, parliaments will participate in monitoring
the measures taken by the State parties to implement the Convention; at a European level, the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe will be invited to regularly take stock of the Convention. It will have the
opportunity to raise concerns, indicate shortcomings, draw attention to the need to turn specific provisions of
the Convention into reality.
This is another innovative element of this landmark convention. And it’s good news not only for us
parliamentarians, but for all citizens. In fact, it is in the best interests of everybody that elected representatives
be allowed to give their contribution to the very important task of monitoring the implementation of the
Convention.
How to amplify impact
As the next speakers will explain in detail, some months ago, the Agency for Fundamental Rights published
the most comprehensive survey on violence against women ever carried out in the European Union. 42.000
women were personally interviewed. The survey indicates that:
- 33% of women where physically or sexually aggressed at least once in a lifetime, and 28% of them since
the age of 15, and 22% of them have experienced this kind of violence from their partner,
- 7 per cent have experienced physical violence in the course of the 12 months before the survey. This
means 13 MILLION WOMEN in total;
- 5% of women declares having been raped;
- 20% of women declares having been victims of stalking;
- 43% of women were victims of psychological violence;
And, as if this were not disturbing enough, set against these alarming figures, there is A VERY LOW
CONVICTION RATE.
But, what is more frightening, is that only 1/3 of the victims at the hands of their partners have denounced
the violence they suffered, and only ¼ of the victims at the hands of nom partners did it.
This means that the statistics we know up to now, are useless. Reality is much worst then we thought!
Victims’ awareness
If we want the Istanbul Convention to have a real impact on the lives of women, one of the main challenges
is to create the conditions for victims to realise what is happening to them and its gravity.
As I said, the great majority of women who are victims of violence do not report it to the police. Many of
them do not even inform their friends or support structures.
All too often violence against women is not acknowledged as a human rights violation, even by its victims.
Some women feel that they are partly responsible for it, excuse it, justify it, FORGIVE it.
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At a meeting of the Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence, in October 2013, we heard this
directly from a former perpetrator of domestic violence, who told us his story: he humiliated and abused his
partner, psychologically and physically. He tried to kill her. But she always protected him, denying what was
happening even when the police came round to their home after having been called by neighbours.
It took this woman ten years to file a complaint. By doing this, she certainly saved her life. And, to quote his
own words, she also saved the life of the perpetrator, who decided to face the problem and undertook voluntary
rehabilitation.
Trust
For victims to report what is happening to them, we must ensure that they can trust the authorities, in
particular the police and the judicial system. We must ensure that they will not be subjected to secondary
victimisation, to public humiliation, to lengthy judicial proceedings, to injustice.
I was astonished when, during a hearing on the ‘mediatisation of rape’ organised by the Network, a social
worker said: “if someone I know well such as a friend or a relative was raped, I would advise her not to report it
to the police because what happens next is a continuation of suffering and humiliation”.
I was shocked as a legislator but sympathetic as a human being. It takes an awful lot of courage and
resilience to face criminal proceedings of this kind, in which all too often the role of victims and perpetrators are
reversed and women have to prove – either in court or to society - that they did not provoke violence, that they
physically opposed it, that they did not give consent. No wonder the number of cases that fall out of the system
is so high.
Knowledge
The FRA study also highlights lack of knowledge:
19 percent of women in the EU are not aware of any organisation or victim support services,
41 percent are not aware of specific laws or political initiatives to protect women,
and only 50 percent have seen or heard of campaigns on violence against women.
Raising awareness: the Network
The role of Parliamentarians in countering violence against women has a wide scope, and certainly
demands more action in the area of awareness-raising.
To this end, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has set up a special structure: the
Parliamentary Network “Women Free from Violence”. This body was established to participate in the Council of
Europe campaign on Violence against Women, in 2006-2008. At the end of the Campaign, we realized that we
should go ahead. Our new objective became promoting the entry into force of the Istanbul Convention. What do
we do?
Network members work as Ambassadors of the Istanbul Convention in their national parliaments, by asking
questions to relevant Ministers, introducing bills and legislative initiatives, speeding up signature and
ratification.
They share information on legislation and policies in their respective countries.
The Network has published a huge amount of information material. Just consider that our Handbook for
Parliamentarians on the Istanbul Convention, which can actually also be very useful for NGOs and other
stakeholders, is now available in 16 languages! For that, we have to thank the voluntary contributions of a
number of parliaments and other donors.
We have a Facebook page which is a precious source of information. I invite you all to “like” it and become
followers.
I can tell you that this work has been instrumental to catalyse political support for the Istanbul Convention,
and that without the lobbying, pressure and networking of our parliamentarians nowadays we would not have
achieved the entry into force of our precious gold standard.
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Conclusion
Dear Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The entry into force of the Istanbul Convention marks a milestone for the protection of human rights. But as
you have understood from my presentation, it would be simplistic to regard it only as a legal instrument,
however unique and innovative!
The Istanbul Convention promotes a vision of society. It is a project for the society we want, in which
violence against women is no longer justified, forgiven, or minimised. Violence against women is prevented,
combated, punished and ultimately refused by all, women and men equally.
The entry into force of the Istanbul Convention calls us all to go beyond the words, and take immediate and
tangible actions to ensure that its vision becomes a reality. Not in the future. But NOW.
A relationship without freedon, is like to be arrested at home, with or without electronic purse. A country
where so many citizens do not enjoy freely their rights, has a serious democratic deficit. Cannot be considered
a full democracy, but perhaps a half-democracy!
It is on behalf of those women that had not the right to speak, on behalf of those women and their children,
sons and daughters, humiliated and offended on every forgiven black mark, on every open scarr, on every
broken bone, on every stolen minute of their lives, that we are here, today, availabe to this combat, and break
loudly the SILENCE in pieces, at the central square of our indignation!
A DIVISÃO DE REDAÇÃO E APOIO AUDIOVISUAL.