At the occasion of the 10^th anniversary of the entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS No. 210), known also as the Istanbul Convention, we reaffirm our strong determination and firmest commitment to the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against all women and girls.

We underline the pioneering role of the Council of Europe, including through the Istanbul Convention, in combatting violence against women and domestic violence. The Istanbul Convention sets international standards for preventing all forms of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, protecting victims and ensuring accountability for perpetrators.

The EU acceded to the Istanbul Convention in June 2023. The Convention entered into force for the EU on 1 October 2023. In May 2024, the EU adopted a first-ever EU law on combating violence against women. This Directive supports the international commitments the EU has undertaken to combat and prevent violence against women and domestic violence, including, where relevant, through the Istanbul Convention.

The EU will continue to place the prevention and elimination of all forms of sexual and gender-based violence both online and offline at the center of its efforts. The EU will also carry on promoting whole-of-society efforts to engage men and boys as allies and equal beneficiaries of gender equality in ending sexual and gender-based violence, eliminating all gender inequalities, addressing discriminatory laws and combating gender stereotypes and negative social norms.

We stress the need for an ambitious and transformative approach to address the root causes and risk factors of gender inequality, discrimination and violence against women and girls.

In our efforts to support Ukraine and other conflict-affected areas, we reiterate that we condemn in the strongest terms sexual and gender-based violence.

We commend the work of civil society, in particular women’s rights organisations and feminist movements, in promoting awareness but also in preventing and combating all forms of violence.

The following countries align with this statement: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, Ukraine.