Speech by Commissioner Lahbib at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women: Group of Friends on the elimination of violence against women and girls

Violence is a stain on our humanity. It must end, whether at home, work, or in our communities.

One in three women has experienced physical or sexual violence. More rights and freedoms are only possible without violence. Violence against women must become a thing of the past.

Our Group of Friends is united in the fight against all violence towards women and girls. Since 2020, the group has grown to 96 Member and Observer States. Today, we renew our pledge to eliminate violence against women and girls by 2030.

Ending gender-based violence is not just a political commitment, but a moral and legal duty. As chair of the Group of Friends, the EU is working to enforce laws, hold perpetrators accountable, and support victims.

The EU is taking decisive action. Last year, we adopted the first EU law addressing this issue: the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. This directive includes comprehensive measures to protect, support, and provide justice access for victims of violence, regardless of their location or travel within the EU. It also tackles cyber-violence, making the most common forms of cyber-violence a crime in every member state.

The directive requires member states to develop national action plans, and we are funding initiatives to bring this new directive to life. In 2023, we took a significant step by acceding as the EU to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

In these turbulent times, gender equality is under threat. This is why the European Commission adopted the Roadmap for Womens Rights last week. This roadmap outlines our long-term vision for gender equality and places womens rights at the heart of all EU policies and actions. It reaffirms the EUs 100% commitment to gender equality.

The roadmap addresses eight main womens rights principles, with freedom from gender-based violence at the forefront. But action is not only through law and policy. Each year, around €25 million is allocated for womens specialist services, such as support centers, shelters, helplines, and sexual violence referral centers.

The EU is a global leader in fighting gender-based violence. We are co-leader of the Generation Equality Forums Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence and the initiator and chair of the Group of Friends for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls. With the UN, we set up the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative with a budget of €500 million. This initiatives comprehensive approach is delivering lasting results to end violence against women and girls. It is one of the 12 UN high-impact initiatives.

We have also launched the ACT programme - on Advocacy, Coalition Building, and Transformative Feminist Action to End Violence Against Women. This programme strengthens the leadership of womens rights organisations and supports advocacy, campaigning, and policymaking across Africa and Latin America.

Violence against women and girls is not just a womens issue - it shakes the foundation of our entire society. It threatens our core values of equality, justice, and human dignity. But awareness is not enough. Words are not enough. Change demands action, accountability, and the courage to say: Enough.

A world free from violence is not a dream. Together, we can make it a reality.