In addition to causing severe damage to women, families and communities, the magnitude of the problem is reflected by its economic costs for the European Union, which are estimated to be a staggering 225,837,418,768 euro per year [2]. It is a shameful stain on our societies that, even in 2016, we cannot guarantee the enjoyment of human rights for all women. This must stop. Girls and women have the right to fully participate in all aspects of our society, without being beaten, harassed, raped, stalked or otherwise held back by other forms of violence.

Věra Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality has taken the initiative to dedicate 2017 to combating violence against women. But it requires the dedication of all of us: Member State national and local authorities, International Organisations, civil society organisations, academia, businesses, trade unions, police, health professionals, social care professionals and all European men and women to fight to make violence against women a thing of the past. More than an awareness-raising campaign, this initiative will support and engage all stakeholders in combatting this problem. Commissioner Jourová invites all to join these focused actions to combat violence against women, as it will be a concerted effort.

• Statement
• Press memo

Visuals of the campaign

Click on the image to download.

Data Collection

Today, the European Commission has released the results of a Eurobarometer survey on gender-based violence, which focuses in particular on awareness of and attitudes and perceptions towards the issue:

Infographic of the results

Funding

As part of the focused actions to combat violence against women in 2017, the Commission has set aside €4 from the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme to support Member States in developing and implementing national practical and targeted information, awareness-raising and education activities, aimed at preventing and combating violence against women.

Funding under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme is also available through the Daphne strand, which provides €6 million annually to fund transnational grassroots projects run by NGOs, local authorities and other stakeholders.

Further information regarding upcoming calls for proposals can be found here.

Information regarding previously funded projects can be found here: Daphne Toolkit

Insights from Behavioural Sciences to prevent and combat violence against women with awareness-raising and education activities: literature review by the Joint Research Centre.

Contributions from other departments and organisations

• EEAS page on human rights and democracy
• ECHO factsheet: GENDER: Different needs, adapted assistance
• Study on GBV in sport
• "Safe at home, safe at work" project
• Study on the gender dimension of trafficking
• Factsheets on violence against women by the European Institute for Gender Equality
• UN WOMEN: The international campaign '16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence' from 25 November to 10 December