Preventing and combating sexism
Sexism and discriminatory stereotypes remain widespread, and affect women’s education and participation in the economy and in public life
On 27 March 2019, the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)1 on preventing and combating sexism. It comprises a comprehensive catalogue of measures both to prevent and to condemn sexism, and it calls for specific action in such areas as: language and communication; internet and social media; media, advertising and other communication methods; workplace; public sector; justice sector; education institutions; culture and sport and the private sphere. Countries are encouraged to pass legislation that condemns sexism and criminalises sexist hate speech. It also requires that countries monitor the implementation of anti-sexist policies at national level and report back periodically to the Council of Europe. The Campaign Sexism : See it. Name it. Stop it!, with tools available in different languages aims at raising awareness about the phenomenon and at eliminating it.
Standards
Text of the Recommendation
Translations in other languages
Tools of the Campaign: Sexism: See it. Name it. Stop it.
Brochure on preventing and combating sexism
English French
Armenian Azerbaijani Georgian Romanian Russian
Action page on preventing and combating sexism
English French
Albanian Armenian Azerbaijani Bulgarian Catalan Croatian Czech Dutch
Georgian German Greek Hungarian Icelandic Italian Norwegian Portuguese Romanian
Russian Serbian Slovak Spanish Swedish Turkish Ukrainian
Regional or minority language: Frisian Limburgish Lower Saxon Papamiento Romani Romansh
Council of Europe video on preventing and combating sexism
Dubbed versions
Albanian Armenian Dutch Georgian German Greek
Italian Luxembourgish Portuguese Russian Serbian Spanish Ukrainian
Subtitled versions
English French
Albanian Armenian Azerbaijani Bulgarian Catalan Croatian Dutch Georgian German Greek Hungarian Icelandic Italian Norwegian Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Spanish Swedish Turkish Ukrainian
Regional or minority language: Frisian Limburgish Lower Saxon Papamiento Romani Romansh
National NGOs' campaigns "Mobilise against sexism!"
National NGOs’ campaigns within the project “Mobilise against sexism!” were conducted by the member organisations of the European Women's Lobby (EWL) in Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Spain in 2020-2021 to raise awareness and combat sexism in key sectors of society.
Publications and Resources
- Guidelines for the use of language as a driver of inclusivity, Council of Europe, 2024
- Sexism barometer 2024, Viavoice for the Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes (France), 2024 (French only)
- 6th state of play of sexism in France : Tackling the roots of sexism, Annual report, Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes (France), 2024 (French only)
- Preventing and Combating Sexism at local level in Bosnia and Herzgovina: A guide for women and men in local politics, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Council of Europe, 2024 Other languages: Bosnian
- The Invisible Woman in the Digital World: The Vicious Circle of Sexism, Report, Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes, 2023 (French only)
- 2023 GENDER SOCIAL NORMS INDEX (GSNI): Breaking down gender biases: Shifting social norms towards gender equality, Report, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2023 (English only)
- State of play of sexism in France in 2023, Annual report, Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes (France), 2023 (French only)
- Videos on combating sexism and gender stereotypes of women working in range of professions: writer, pilot, military master sergeant and marine mechanic, Council of Europe office in Georgia (produced in the framework of the project fighting violence against women and promoting gender equality in Georgia), 2022
- Study on the places of men and boys in women’s rights and gender equality policies, Gender Equality Commission, Council of Europe, 2021
- Gender equality and the Istanbul Convention: a decade of action, Conference Report, Council of Europe, 2021
- Fighting sexist violence against women in politics at local and regional level, Report, Current Affairs Committee, Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Council of Europe, 2020
- Sexism in everyday life - Perceptions and attitudes of the German population, Pilot study published by the German Ministry for Family, the Elderly, Women and Youth, 2020 (German only)
- Preventing and Combatting sexism at the local level in Ukraine: A Guide for Women and Men in Local Politics, Congress of Local and Regional authorities, Council of Europe, 2020
Ukrainian - Preventing and combatting sexism at local level in Kosovo*: A Guide for women and men in local politics, Congress of Local and Regional authorities, Council of Europe, 2020
Albanian- Serbian - Preventing and combatting sexism at local level in Georgia: A Guide for women and men in local politics, Congress of Local and Regional authorities, Council of Europe, 2020
Georgian - Tackling Social Norms: A game changer for gender inequalities, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2020
- State of play of sexism in France in 2019 ( French only), Annual Report, Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes (France), 2020
- Toolkit on Gender Sensitive Communication, European Institute for Gender Equality, 2019
- First state of play of sexism in France: combating a persisting social acceptance, Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes (France), 2019 (French only)
- Let’s speak gender – 10 principles on gender-sensitive communication, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2018
- Gender-Neutral language in the European Parliament, European Parliament, 2018
- Sexism in the public space , Analysis of survey, Vie féminine, (Belgium), 2017 (French only)
- Sexism in schools in the UK "It's just everywhere!, Study, UK Feminsta (UK), 2017
- Where do we stand on sexism?, Study, JUMP, 2016
- Practical guide for public communication without sexist stereotypes, Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes (France), 2016 (French only)
- Sexism at work, Conseil supérieur de l’égalité professionnelle entre les femmes et les hommes (France), 2015 (French only)
Work of the Drafting Committee to prepare the Recommendation to prevent and combat sexism (GEC-DC Sexism) (2017-2019)
Press
English
“How to fight sexism in the #MeToo era? Council of Europe starts with defining it”, Euronews, 28/3/2019
"Women face daily violence online", Times of Malta, 3/9/2019
Council of Europe: launch of anti-sexism campaign “See it. Name it. Stop it.”, Agensir (Italy), 16/9/2019
"An official ban on sexist jokes? The Council of Europe's Recommendation on preventing and combating sexism", Gendering European Studies, 24/9/2019
French
“Le Conseil de l'Europe adopte la "première définition internationale" du sexisme“, Le Figaro, 28/3/2019
"La première définition internationale du sexisme" adoptée par le Conseil de l'Europe", RTS, 29/3/2019
German
“Europarat erste internationale definiton-von-sexismus”, Deutschland Funk
"Europarat präsentiert "erste Definition auf internationalem Niveau von Sexismus", Ziet Online, 28/3/2019
"Europarat präsentiert Sexismus-Definition auf internationalem Niveau", Tyroler Tageszeitung , 28/3/2019
Greek
"The Council of Europe replies to the question: what is sexism?", Protagon.gr, 28/3/2019
"This is what we mean by sexism as the Council of Europe states", Proto Thema, 28/3/2019
Polish
"Rada Europy przyjęła pierwszą międzynarodową definicję seksizmu", Gazeta Prawna, 30/03/2019
Portuguese
"Conselho da Europa define "sexismo" pela primeira vez para acabar com fenómeno" , RTP
"Para acabar com a desigualdade, Conselho da Europa define “sexismo”", Publico, 28/03/2019
Russian
"Совет Европы дал первое «международное определение сексизма»", RFI, 28/03/2019
Spanish
"El Consejo de Europa define por primera vez sexismo y propone erradicarlo", Yahoo noticias, 28/3/2019
"El Consejo de Europa define por primera vez sexismo y propone que el discurso de odio sexista sea delito", El diario, 28/3/2019
“El Consejo de Ministros estudiará mañana el informe del Consejo de Europa para luchar contra el sexismo”, Europapress, 6/6/2019
