On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we stand united in our shared belief that a life free from violence is not an aspiration; it is a fundamental human right. Around the world, too many women and girls still face the daily reality of fear, abuse and silence. Too many families are shattered, too many futures lost. We honour the survivors whose courage illuminates the path forward, and we remember those whose lives were taken through femicide, the most severe manifestation of inequality and discrimination.

In these moments, our perseverance must be stronger than ever. The Istanbul Convention has proven to be one of the most powerful tools for change, reshaping the way states understand their duty to protect women and girls: not as an isolated issue, but as a structural human-rights obligation. Over the past years, it has inspired countries to strengthen criminal law, improve and expand support services, enhance data and research, and embed prevention into education and policy. It has created a common language for dignity, equality and justice.

GREVIO is steadfast in accompanying Parties on this journey. Through our work, dialogue and findings, we support states in making commitments visible and tangible. We shine a light where change is working, and where protection must be strengthened. We stand with those on the front line, women’s rights organisations and specialist services whose expertise and dedication remain indispensable, yet who increasingly work in restricted and challenging environments. Their resilience reminds us why this work matters.

At the same time, we also confront other challenges. We witness attempts to question the need for policies dedicated to ending violence against women, and efforts to undermine the human-rights framework that protects them. Emerging forms of abuse, including online and technology-facilitated violence, demand urgent attention and collective solutions. Young women and girls, increasingly exposed to sexual violence, need us to act with clarity and determination.

In these difficult times, unity is our strength. When one state steps back, every woman and every girl is placed at greater risk. When one survivor’s voice is silenced, we all lose ground. To question the principles and protections embodied in the Convention is to question the very fabric of democracy itself, for the protection of women and girls is inseparable from justice, freedom and human dignity. The Istanbul Convention is not grounded in ideology, but in the lived realities of women and girls whose courage has transformed pain into purpose. It is a binding commitment; a legal and moral obligation rooted in universal human rights.

Yet we have reasons for hope. Across Europe and beyond, we see remarkable resolve: legislative reforms grounded in consent and bodily autonomy, improved access to justice, deeper alignment and collaboration across the international community, and powerful examples of implementation even in contexts of war and crisis, such as the courage demonstrated in Ukraine. These efforts remind us that progress is possible, real, and already unfolding.

Today, let us renew our engagement to listen, to protect, to believe and to act. Let us work together to build societies where every girl grows up safe, respected and equal, and where every woman lives without fear.

We owe nothing less to them.