Opening an EU conference in Brussels on equality between men and women, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio stressed that – despite many different legal instruments being in force – equality is still not a reality for millions of women in Europe and across the world.

The Deputy Secretary General highlighted three specific areas of particular importance, namely the need to increase female participation in decision-making, tackling persistent wage inequality and combating violence against women.

Ms De Boer-Buquicchio underlined the importance of the ground-breaking Council of Europe convention on violence against women, including domestic violence, and called on the EU and its member countries to sign and ratify the text.

“The convention has now been signed by 16 of the 47 Council of Europe member states. As is the case with most of the recent Council of Europe conventions, it also open to non-European countries. I certainly hope that many, including the European Union, will join,” she said.