EWL Danish members support Denmark’s intention to accede to the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
[Copenhagen, 27 June, 2013] On 27 June 2013, the Danish government has decided to sign the European Convention on violence against women.
The Ministry of Justice has examined to what consequences it would have for Danish law to accede to the Convention. According to a new legal review of the Justice Department there will be no major regulatory problems.
The Danish Women’s Council has long pressed for Danish membership of the Convention, and therefore we are pleased with this decision. Rasmus Horn Langhoff, equality spokesman for the Social Democrats is also pleased.
’It is gratifying that we are now ready to endorse the Council of Europe Convention on combating violence against women. Violence against women is a very serious problem, and of course Denmark leads the fight for equality and against violence’, says Rasmus Horn Langhoff.
Since May 2011, the Danish Government has had the opportunity to sign the Council of Europe Convention on violence against women. 30 states have signed, including Norway, Sweden and Finland.
The government is not fully over the line just yet, because the Convention has not yet been signed. The government expects to submit a bill regarding Denmark acceding to the Convention during the next parliamentary session.
Members of the Observatory at the Women’s Council in Denmark had an audience with the Equality Commission on 22 May. The Observatory recommended that Denmark join the Convention, covering the areas of prevention, protection and prosecution. A monitoring organization shall ensure that states comply with the Convention.
Translation of the article ”Nu vil Danmark underskrive konvention om vold mod kvinder”
The Women’s Council in Denmark
Women’s organisations have played an important role in the struggle for democracy and human rights over the past 100 years. Women have fought for equal rights and against discrimination within all areas of Society. Since 1899, when The Women’s Council in Denmark was established, women’s organisations have worked together in order to stand stronger in the common struggle for the liberation of women.
Today, The Women’s Council in Denmark is an umbrella organisation for 45 organisations with a total of more than one million members. The Women’s Council member organisations are women’s organisations, the equal status committees of the political parties, trade unions, and professional women’s groups, migrant- and refugee women, women’s studies researchers, youth organisations, religious and humanitarian women’s organisations. Women’s Council works for women’s rights as well as social, professional, economic and cultural interests.
The object of The Women’s Council is to strengthen women’s rights and influence in society and create real equality between women and men. The Women’s Council represents member organisations as the co-ordination body in dealing with the government, the Parliament, public authorities, and so on, as well as in national and international organisations.
The Women’s Council is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which works for women across all lines, at all levels and within all areas of society.
The Women’s Council is represented in a number of boards, committees and councils and has a long tradition in working with women’s issues at all levels.
As a result The Women’s Council has taken part in setting up a number of committees and organisations, which have helped to strengthen the position of women. Among these there are The National Observatory on Violence against Women, The Consumer’s Council, Save The Children and The Danish Refugee Council.
