Violence against women and girls should have no place in any society. The EU is strongly committed to gender equality, the empowerment of women of all ages and the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls around the world. However, despite our commitment and progress made to date, impunity, and stigma have allowed violence against women to continue in Europe and elsewhere in the world.
To win this challenge, it is our responsibility as international community, to openly reject and condemn all acts of violence against women and girls, including cyber violence and hate speech. At global level, in 2017 the EU and the United Nations launched the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
Today, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have announced an ambitious plan to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment through all external action of the European Union via the new Gender Action Plan. In line with the Action Plan, we are committed to keep working tirelessly with our partners to strengthen legal frameworks and institutions, supporting development and education, improving services for survivors, addressing the root causes of violence and promoting women’s empowerment.