Motion for a resolution | Doc. 11504 | 22 January 2008

“Parliaments united in combating domestic violence against women”: review of the Council of Europe campaign and prospects

Signatories: Mr José MENDES BOTA, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Ms Fátima ABURTO BASELGA, Spain, SOC ; Ms Sirpa ASKO-SELJAVAARA, Finland, EPP/CD ; Ms Doris BARNETT, Germany, SOC ; Ms Meritxell BATET, Spain, SOC ; Mr Aleksandër BIBERAJ, Albania ; Mr Gerardo BUGANZA SALMERÓN, Mexico ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway ; Ms Ingrida CIRCENE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Ms Anna ČURDOVÁ, Czech Republic ; Ms Blanca Judith DÍAZ DELGADO, Mexico ; Ms Sónia FERTUZINHOS, Portugal ; Mr György FRUNDA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Ms Gunn Karin GJUL, Norway ; Mr José GONZÁLEZ-MORFÍN, Mexico ; Ms Rosario GREEN MACÍAS, Mexico ; Ms Carina HÄGG, Sweden ; Mr Andres HERKEL, Estonia, EPP/CD ; Ms Iglica IVANOVA, Bulgaria ; Ms Danuta JAZŁOWIECKA, Poland ; Ms Evguenia JIVKOVA, Bulgaria, SOC ; Ms Anna LILLIEHÖÖK, Sweden ; Mr Maximiano MARTINS, Portugal ; Mr Miloš MELČÁK, Czech Republic ; Ms Maria Manuela de MELO, Portugal, SOC ; Mr Murat MERCAN, Turkey ; Mr Fritz NEUGEBAUER, Austria, EPP/CD ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Kent OLSSON, Sweden ; Ms Lajla PERNASKA, Albania, EPP/CD ; Ms Marietta de POURBAIX-LUNDIN, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Cezar Florin PREDA, Romania, EPP/CD ; Ms Maria de Belém ROSEIRA, Portugal, SOC ; Mr Michał STULIGROSZ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Björn von SYDOW, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Rosario VELASCO GARCÍA, Spain

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Since November 2006, in accordance with Resolution 1512 (2006), the Parliamentary Assembly, national parliaments of member states and parliaments with observer status with the Assembly have been joining forces to implement the parliamentary dimension of the Council of Europe campaign “Stop domestic violence against women” (referred to below as “the campaign”), which is due to come to a close in June 2008.

Highlights of the Parliamentary Assembly initiative “Parliaments united in combating domestic violence against women” have so far included awareness measures (adoption of solemn declarations by parliaments, dissemination of campaign material to parliamentarians, preparation and dissemination of a “Handbook for Parliamentarians”, round tables, exhibitions, parliamentary hearings, conferences, etc.) and interparliamentary co-operation within the network of contact parliamentarians and in regional groups.

Further to Resolution 1582 (2007), adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly in October 2007, the Assembly, national parliaments of member states and parliaments with observer status with the Assembly are invited, in the second part of the campaign, to concentrate on the minimum legislative reforms needed. To this end, the Parliamentary Assembly has identified seven key legislative measures which parliaments are invited to adopt – or whose implementation they are asked to oversee – before June 2008, the campaign’s closing date.

At the close of the Council of Europe campaign “Stop domestic violence against women”, the Parliamentary Assembly intends:

1. to assess the implementation of the parliamentary dimension of the campaign and learn from it;

2. to identify good parliamentary practice that emerged during the campaign and update the Handbook for Parliamentarians published by the Assembly;

3. if appropriate, to propose new initiatives for continued commitment on the part of national parliaments to combating violence against women;

4. to invite member states to continue their efforts to combat violence against women, including domestic violence, by all appropriate means.