Presidente Valente,

Ministers,

Professor Nicoletti,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I begin by thanking the UNIRE network for its extraordinary support for the Istanbul Convention.

As a distinguished former President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, Michele Nicoletti has a clear understanding of its single-minded purpose:

Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence here in Italy, and wherever it is ratified.

Nonetheless, it is to Professor Nicoletti’s enormous credit that he has chosen to invest his time and energy in harnessing the ideas, energy and reach of ten universities:

Recognising that real change requires widespread awareness and commitment in seats of learning and throughout society.

But politicians are of course central to shaping the laws that are required.

It speaks volumes that the Senate is hosting this event at the initiative of President Valente.

And that it has attracted the active participation of so many government ministers.

This is good.

Efforts across government ministries and the legislature are both needed to best protect women.

And today’s event is a statement that these exist in Italy right now.

Indeed, as we prepare to mark the Istanbul Convention’s tenth anniversary tomorrow, this is good moment to point out that your country was quick to join:

Signing in 2012, ratifying in 2013, and benefitting from its force in law from the following year.

And your authorities were clear-eyed about its purpose:

To prevent violence against women;

To protect those who become victims;

And to ensure the prosecution of perpetrators.

It not only encourages integrated policy-making;

It also criminalises specific offences, such as stalking, forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

And where it has been implemented, it has worked, with positive changes to national laws.

Italy is a landmark example of that success.

In January of last year, the Council of Europe’s monitoring body, GREVIO, published its first evaluation report of your country’s implementation of the Istanbul Convention.

It found many positive developments and practices on the ground.

Among them, the creation of a more robust and far-reaching legal and policy framework, with a “Red Code” of new offences and stronger sanctions for violence against women;

Measures to fast track criminal cases, to strengthen prosecution procedures and to compensate children orphaned by femicide;

And, of course, the work of the UNIRE network itself, promoting the scientific, educational, and socio-cultural activities needed to overcome gender-based violence against women.

Certainly, there were areas found to require further attention.

For example, on courts’ reluctance to take violent incidents into account when making child custody decisions;

On the lack of sufficient and sustainable resources needed for the anti-violence centres and shelters to which the authorities had committed;

And the fact that the offence of sexual violence still requires the use of violence or threats rather than the absence of the victim’s freely given consent.

The Italian authorities should act to address all the issues highlighted by GREVIO.

And they have until January 2023 to report on their progress.

But it is right to point out that there have been further positive measures in Italy since the report was published, especially within the current context of COVID-19.

These include seminars and webinars featuring the Council of Europe and Italian universities, academic organisations and civil society interests.

But there have also been good, proactive steps by the authorities to understand and address the impact of the pandemic on violence against women.

These have been timely and necessary.

I warned Council of Europe member states in March of last year that while lockdowns were necessary, they would expose women to heightened risks.

Living with an abuser is a terrible thing.

But being confined with one is even worse.

Sure enough, we have seen the number of women’s phone calls for help fall, while the number of silent instant messages to aid organisations shot up.

And a UN Women Study has shown an increase in harassment, stalking, sexting, deep fake imagery and other forms of “online violence”.

The Council of Europe has worked hard to help national authorities to respond to these problems.

This includes creating a dedicated website on which governments and other actors can share best practice.

And there have indeed been good practices to share.

In this country, I am aware of the “Women for a New Renaissance” Task Force, set-up by the Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family, and tasked with both analysing and responding to the impact of COVID-19;

I have heard about the Department for Equal Opportunities’ “Libera puoi” campaign to support women victims of violence and raise awareness of chat applications through which they can reach out for help;

And I appreciate the decision to allocate an extra 10 million euros in funding for the anti-violence centres and shelters that have faced added strain during these terrible times.

It is also important to recognise the way in which central government has looked outwards:

Funding the prefects, mayors and local associations to identify housing for women who have been abused but who cannot be accommodated in shelters for health reasons;

And agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federation of Italian Pharmacists’ Associations enabling pharmacies to help women who have suffered violence and are seeking help.

These are important innovations in line with the letter and the spirit of the Istanbul Convention.

And I know that work is also underway on many of the broader challenges laid out by GREVIO’s 2020 report.

I am convinced that the Italian authorities know that the Council of Europe stands ready to help them meet these in the interests of women throughout Italy.

It is also plain to see that the UNIRE will be there to supply research and ideas in support of this.

And to nurture the treaty’s ethos so that it takes root in academic life and grows well beyond it.

The agenda at this Conference speaks to that ambition.

This is welcome and important - and cannot be taken for granted.

Because the reality is that the environment has changed in parts of Europe over recent years, both among politicians and the public.

A decade ago, it generated justifiable, widespread enthusiasm.

It took just three years to gather the signatures required to enter into force.

It has now been ratified by 34 of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states.

And from outside the Council of Europe, Tunisia and Kazakhstan have requested to join it and are on their way to doing so.

This shows that where there is proper understanding, there is proactive interest in joining.

Nonetheless, something has gone wrong.

In some countries, false narratives are being used against the Istanbul Convention.

It is being portrayed as a political agenda rather than a human rights tool.

And this in turn is feeding reluctance to join it and, in some cases, support for leaving.

Many of you will know that the Turkish authorities announced their intention to do so in March.

I have already spoken about this on several occasions.

But it is important to repeat that the reasons given are misleading.

The sole purpose of the Istanbul Convention is to protect women from violence.

It has nothing to do with so-called “gender ideology”.

And whether Turkey – or any other country – has strong domestic laws in this area, there is no substitute for multilateral action on this international problem.

The Council of Europe represents a collective system of human rights protection, of international law, established in the wake of the Second World War.

To undermine this approach would weaken international organisations and strike a fatal blow to the multilateralism that has been so important and effective in protecting Europeans for over 70 years.

The best answer to recent events is to expand the circle of those committed to the treaty.

This means developing the positive and honest narrative that supports the Istanbul Convention.

Highlighting facts, dispelling myths, standing up for women.

This narrative will be based on three clear facts.

First, the standards for the protection of women set out in the Istanbul Convention are higher than national laws in many countries.

Second, it provides a unique, independent and international monitoring mechanism to evaluate the implementation at national level and assist compliance.

Third, by withdrawing, a country can no longer benefit from the treaty’s provisions relating to international co-operation in criminal matters and seek co-operation from other states parties to bring perpetrators of crimes against women to justice.

What we have here is a treaty that provides a level of co-operation and protection that is only possible with a multilateral approach.

Yes, the Italian government is doing good things.

Yes, UNIRE and civil society are there to reinforce and bolster that progress.

But you are doing this under the umbrella of an international human rights treaty which promotes progress and shares the benefits wherever it comes into force.

So, we need this country, we need you, we need like-minded people all over Europe to keep the faith and to work together in making the case for the Istanbul Convention:

To stop the backsliding on ending violence against women.

After all, the United Nations describes this as a “gold standard” international treaty.

And in a world where 1 in 3 women has been subject to violence, it has more good work to do.

We have much achieved over the past ten years.

Together, we can achieve more still.

Thank you for your commitment.