The Deputy Secretary General spoke today at a meeting with young people, organised as part of the Tour de France de l’Egalité, to present the Council of Europe's activities to promote gender equality in Europe.

Alongside the French Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, the State Secretary with responsibility for gender equality, Marlène Schiappa and the Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, Ms Battaini-Dragoni reiterated that key aspects of the defence of human rights included ensuring equal opportunities and equal pay, and protecting women against trafficking and domestic violence.

The Council of Europe will be adopting a new gender equality strategy in early 2018, which will cover a new area in which there is an urgent need for action: protecting the rights of women and girls who are migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.

• Speech by Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni (French only)

See also:
The Gender Equality Tour de France comes to the Council of Europe