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Statement of ELDH on the International Women’s Day

Roughly one year into a devastating global health crisis, it became more obvious than ever how gender is an important factor when it comes to the access to human rights. In the face of the ongoing gender related injustice, ELDH celebrates the feminist struggle of lawyers and human rights activists who continue to work for a better future.

ELDH observes a worrying trend of growing anti-feminist movements, violence and discrimination against women across Europe. One in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence. There are no reliable figures for trans or non-binary people, but regional studies suggest that the problem is even greater there. Intimate partner violence has risen sharply, especially during governments pandemic measures. This violence must come to an end. But instead of actually doing the necessary work to transform discriminatory structures within institutions, more and more countries decided not to ratify the Istanbul convention. The governments of Turkey and Poland even talk about denouncing the treaty they have already ratified.