On 4 March, Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni will address the UN Commission on the Status of Women, to promote the Istanbul Convention as an efficient and practical tool for governments to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. The Convention was drafted in Europe, but is not meant for Europe only. Any state can accede to it or use it as a model for national and regional legislation and policies. High-level bilateral meetings are also on the agenda of her two-day visit to New York.

A side event on the Convention's added value will be organised by the Council of Europe and the French Permanent mission to the UN, with the participation of: Gilbert Saboya Sunyé, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, Jean-Claude Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Minister for Women's Rights and Government Spokesperson of France, and Lakshmi Puri, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women.

Speech by Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni
Speech by Gilbert Saboya Sunyé
Side event: Violence against Women: our concern, our response