The European Parliament rises for justice and for 2016 to be the EU Year to End Violence against women

[Brussels, 11 February 2014] In the framework of the ONE BILLION RISING (OBR) for Justice Global Campaign 2014, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) has organized a unique event in the European Parliament, co-hosted by MEP Isabelle Durant, to raise awareness on violence against women and to ask for 2016 to be the European Year to End Violence against women. Members of the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, EESC, UN Women and the EU Anti trafficking Coordinator have rised demanding justice for victims. The EU Commissioner of Education and Culture Ms. Androulla Vassiliou has sent their best wishes and a message to support the One Billion Rising Campaign.

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The MEPs and European Decision makers (full list below) have signed in a big board full of colorful hands (representing all the women around the globe rising for justice) showing their great commitment to end violence against women. See more pictures here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/european_womens_lobby/sets/72157640921966354/ During the event, MEP Isabelle Durant called the EU for more action and an EU Year to end violence against women and stressed that the phenomenon of violence against women needs to be seriously addressed at EU level. She reminded that in Europe, 7 women die every day from domestic violence and one in 10 are victims of sexual violence. This is why Isabelle Durant called all the MEPs to vote favourably to the Report on “Combating violence against woman”, whose rapporteur is MEP Antonyia Parvanova and that will be voted on Plenary on the 27th of February. Colette De Troy, Director of the EWL Observatory on violence against women, stressed that by establishing 2016 as the European Year to end violence against women and girls, the EU would affirm its political commitment to put an end to this blight on society and would play a leading role in raising awareness on violence against women at European level and also at national level. At the same time, a year will also serve to promote the adoption of concrete measures to act against the perpetuation of violence against women.

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Tomorrow, the EWL will bring the banner, full of signatures from MEPs, to the festive event that the EWL is co-organising together with its Belgian Members in Brussels, in front of the Palais de Justice. This will bring great motivation to the crowd dancing and rising together to put an end to violence against women!! Please, feel very welcome to come as well to come tomorrow 14 of February from 12pm and join the crowd: rise, release and dance with us and show your strong commitment for women’s rights! Together we can make the heart of Europe to beat for justice! These are the very committed MEPs and decision makers who joined OBR 2014 Campaign and called for 2016 to be the European Year to end Violence against women:

Anna Hedh (MEP, Sweden, S&D)
Antonyia Parvanova (MEP, Bulgaria, ALDE)
Ana Gomes (MEP, S&D; Portugal)
Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (MEP, Sweden, EPP)
Arlene McCarthy (MEP, UK, S&D)
Barbara Weiler (MEP, Germany, S&D)
Bart Staes (MEP, Belgium Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance)
Catherine Stihler (MEP, UK, S&D)
Corinne Lepage (MEP, France, ALDE)
Dagmar Schumacher – UN Woman
Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (MEP, France, EPP)
Elisabeth Schroedter (MEP, Germany, Greens)
Evelyne Gebhardt (MEP, Germany, S&D)
Francesca Barracciu (MEP, Italy, S&D)
Gabriele Zimmer (MEP, Germany, GUE)
Glenis Willmott (MEP, UK, S&D)
Grace Attard – EESC, Malta
Humbert de Biolley, Deputy Head Brussels Office of the Council of Europe to the EU
Indrek Tarand (MEP, Estonia, Greens)
Isabelle Durant (MEP, Belgium, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance,)
Jean Lambert, (MEP, UK-group of the Greens/European Free Alliance)
Jens Geier (MEP, Germany, S&D)
Jo Leinen (MEP, Germany, S&D)
Jutta Haug (MEP, Germany, S&D)
Jutta Steinruk (MEP, Germany, S&D)
Kathleen Van Brempt (MEP, Belgium, S&D)
Kartika Tamara Liotard (MEP, GUE, Netherlands)
Linda Mcavan (MEP, UK, S&D)
Marina Yannakoudakis (UK, European Conservatives and Reformists Group)
Mariya Gabriel (MEP, Bulgaria, EPP)
Mikael Gustafsson (MEP, Sweden, GUE)
Myria Vassiliadou, EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator
Monika Flašíková Beňová, (MEP, Slovakia, S&D)
Phil Prendergast (MEP, Ireland, S&D)
Raül Romeva (MEP, Cataluña, Spain, Greens)
Sandra Petrović Jakovina (MEP, Croatia, S&D)
Sirpa Pietikäinen, (MEP, Finland, EPP )
Ulrike Rodust (MEP, Germany, S&D)

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