Today the European Parliament marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In her address, President Metsola said this is a moment to act and to honour all the women and girls who have lost their lives, those who survived and all those who continue to suffer, too often in silence.
Dear colleagues, Today we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Today is a reminder of our responsibility to answer the call to action. It is a moment to act and to honour all the women and girls who have lost their lives, those who survived and all those who continue to suffer - too often in silence. Today we recommit to this House’s proud role in standing up for women everywhere. This week, our Parliament glows in orange. A light for every woman and girl who has suffered. A promise to every woman and girl who deserves safety, dignity and a life free from fear. We owe women more than awareness — we owe them change. I am proud of the steps this House has taken. We pushed through legislation criminalising more forms of gender-based abuse both on and offline. Now, it must be implemented. And together we can really go even further. In Europe, the numbers are shocking. 30% of women have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence. This is unacceptable. We must do more. We must do more for every Giulia, for every Paulina, for every Bernice, for every Ashling who were killed in our Europe because they were women. We must do more for every survivor like Gisèle in France and Ana Bella in Spain who stood tall and dared to shatter the silence. We must do more for every woman.