(To be checked against delivery)

51st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

Intervention by Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

1 March 2007, New York

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As an elected representative of an organisation whose primary purpose is to protect and promote Human Rights, I will concentrate, in the short time allocated to me, on five messages from the Council of Europe, which is not only the oldest intergovernmental organisation in Europe, but with 46 member States, also the largest European regional organisation.

First, violence against girls and women in its various forms is still widespread in Europe.

This is why the Council of Europe has just launched a Pan-European Campaign to combat violence against women, including domestic violence.

The campaign builds upon the findings of the 2006 “Stocktaking study on the measures and actions taken in the Council of Europe member States to combat violence against women” and seeks to ensure the implementation of measures contained in our 2002 Recommendation in the following thematic areas:
-legal and policy measures
-support and protection for victims
-data collection and
-awareness raising

Second, certain forms of violence are more specifically associated with girls: I am in particular referring to forced marriages and very early marriages; genital and sexual mutilation; honour killings.

Some of these forms of violence against girls are explained as an expression of cultural or religious tradition. For the Council of Europe, no cultural tradition, religion or social custom can justify denying the enjoyment by girls and women of their human rights and can be used as an excuse for turning a blind eye to these human rights violations. I shall not list the texts and policy measures adopted within the Council of Europe but will of course invite you to discover the precious information and advice they contain.

Third, children’s vulnerability calls for specific preventive and protective measures. Through its Programme “Building a Europe for and with children”, the Council of Europe is seeking to eradicate all kinds of violence against children in all settings. The Programme is based upon four pillars (the four Ps): Prevention of violence, Protection of children, Prosecution of offenders, and Participation by children. The programme integrates the gender perspective and special attention is paid to particularly vulnerable children, including girls.

The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings is a perfect illustration on how the needs of children victims of violence –in this case a modern form of slavery- receive particular attention. This is exactly the topic of the side event we have organised today at 1.15 pm. Our anti-trafficking convention places victims and the protection of their fundamental rights at the core of its provisions, therefore completing the UN Palermo Protocol in several respects. I would like to take this occasion to call on all States to become Party to our Convention, which is also open to non-European States.

Another example of how the Council of Europe fights specific forms of violence against children is the current drafting of a convention against sexual exploitation of children and abuse, which we expect will be adopted this summer.

Fourth, gender-based violence is, in many cases, transferred from one generation to the next. Girls victims of violence are twice as likely as others to become women victims of domestic violence, and four times as likely to encounter sexual violence in their adult lives.
To break this vicious cycle, we have decided to invest in young generations so that they integrate the values and principles of non-violence and gender equality in their behaviour. Through its work in the education sector and with youth organisations, the Council of Europe is motivating young leaders and young people in general to become agents of change.

Fifth and last message, the role of men is crucial to prevent and combat violence against girls and women.

We are currently working on the different roles men take on in the context of violence against women, including men as perpetrators, men as victims and most recently, men as actors contributing to overcoming violence. Men’s active participation in combating violence against women is essential, because they have a responsibility to stand up and challenge all kinds of violence, and in particular, violence occurring within the family.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Girls suffering from violence are not only victims of a human rights violation, they are also victims of silence, victims of indifference and victims of neglect. I have come here to address this session as the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Let me however call on you also as a mother, as a woman and as a citizen: Please, make all possible efforts and invest all necessary resources in gender equality and children protection policies so that, together, we can stop violence against girls. So that, what started with a scream never ends in a big silence. Thank you.

More information on:
www.coe.int/stopviolence
www.coe.int/trafficking
www.coe.int/children