Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread and devastating human rights violations across the globe. In the past two decades, the European Union has provided support to European organisations to combat violence and support victims, and has strengthened its policy and legal response.
The importance of a coordinated action and multi-sectorial commitment has been emphasised during the High-Level event on violence against women 2018 ending violence against women – taking stock and next steps. Věra Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, stressed that gender equality is very high on the Commission political agenda, and that to achieve concrete results, the planning and implementation of proper strategies are crucial. Furthermore, the Commission promoted the importance of ratifying the Istanbul Convention.