Say NO to Violence against Women

Dear Friends near and far

I am forwarding a call to contact your MEP to encourage them to sign the European Parliament Declaration on Violence against Women. Many votes are still needed. Deadline: 12th March 2009!

Peace!

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NEWW - Network of East-West Women
WUNRN – Women's United Nations Report Network
BPW – International Federation of Business and Professional Women
BPW UK – Business and Professional Women UK

Call to Support the European Parliament Declaration on Violence against Women

The European Policy Action Centre on Violence against Women and the European Women's Lobby are supporting Eva-Britt Svensson, Member of the European Parliament, and Vice-Chairwoman of Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality in her work to collect signatures from Members of the European Parliament for a written declaration on the "Say NO to Violence against Women" campaign.
The campaign has been initiated by UNIFEM to highlight the need for action and protection of women against violence.
The written declaration calls on Member states to support the UNIFEM campaign and asks the Commission to declare a 'European Year on Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women' within the next five years (see Declaration overleaf).
In order to be effective, the Written Declaration has to be signed by half of the MEPs, which means a minimum of 393. Only 203 MEP’s have signed the written declaration so far!
We need your support to make more MEPs sign before the deadline of 12th March 2009!
Support the Written Declaration by making your MEP’s sign the declaration!


Written declaration on the 'Say NO to Violence against Women' campaign

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women of 20 December 1993 and the resolution on the elimination of domestic violence against women, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 22 December 2003, which recognise the urgent need for elimination of violence against women,
– having regard to its resolutions of 16 September 1997 for an EU-wide campaign for zero tolerance of violence against women and of 2 February 2006 on the current situation in combating violence against women and any future action,
– having regard to the UNIFEM campaign 'Say NO to Violence against Women', which highlights the need for action and protection of women against violence,
– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas violence against women and girls is a universal problem of pandemic proportions,
B. whereas, in its above mentioned resolutions, Parliament stressed the need to establish an EU-wide campaign for zero tolerance of violence against women,
C. whereas the recent Council of Europe campaign 'Stop Domestic Violence against Women' confirms the need for action and protection of women against violence,

1. Asks the Commission to declare, within the next five years, a 'European Year on Zero Tolerance of Violence against Women', as repeatedly requested by Parliament;
2. Calls on the Member States to support the UNIFEM campaign 'Say NO to Violence against Women' by signing its petition;
3. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council and the Commission, as well as to UNIFEM.

Eva-Britt SVENSSON
eva-britt.svensson-assistant2 @ europarl.europa.eu