“A decision of extraordinary importance for the ever-stronger assertion of women’s rights in society”. This was how Ministers Giulio Terzi and Elsa Fornero referred to the adoption of the bill for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The bill was adopted at the Council of Ministers yesterday, 11 December 2012, at the proposal of Terzi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Fornero, Minister for Employment and Social Policy, with delegated authority for Equal Opportunities
As Ministers Terzi and Fornero explained, “the convention represents the most advanced international standard both in preventing and in combating all possible acts of violence against women. Its provisions also envisage the protection of victims and criminal offences for the perpetrators. Violence and discrimination against women are born from ignorance and impunity, situations that we sadly find ourselves facing even in the most advanced environments. It is essential to take action on the legislative level too, and that is why it is vitally important for the Istanbul Convention to enter into force as soon as possible.
Il provvedimento varato ieri – sottolineano i due Ministeri – si inquadra nel contesto di un vasto impegno di governo per la promozione e tutela dei diritti delle donne nel mondo, considerata principio fondamentale di civiltà, e che anche su forte impulso dell’ Italia è sempre più al centro dell’agenda internazionale.
The provision approved yesterday, underscored the two ministers, is part of the government’s broader commitment to promote and protect the rights of women throughout the world. This is considered a founding principle of civilisation – a principle that, thanks not least to the strong impetus from Italy, is an increasingly central issue on the international agenda.
A few days ago an important step was taken in New York, with the adoption by the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly of the Resolution for the prohibition of female genital mutilation. Intensive efforts will continue so that the Resolution can be adopted by the end of the year. Work will continue on a number of fronts, most notably prevention, a key element of the Istanbul Convention.
As part of this broad programme of initiatives, Ministers Terzi and Fornero, along with the Justice Minister, Paola Severino, spoke on the issue at the international conference held in November at the Foreign Ministry on the Sexual Abuse of Children. They reiterated Italy’s strong determination to work on this vital front by underscoring that the defence of children’s rights requires effective and coordinated action at both the national and international levels. This is not just a moral imperative but also a contribution to the democratic and sustainable development of the world’s poorest companies.
In this regard, the aim is to focus efforts on the concrete implementation of another highly important and significant Council of Europe Convention: the Lanzarote Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, this too recently ratified by Italy.
