The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, also known as the Istanbul Convention, is the first legally binding international instrument on this issue. It establishes a comprehensive framework of measures for preventing such violence, supporting victims and punishing perpetrators.&nbsp;

MEPs have voted during May 2023 plenary to approve the European Union’s accession to the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, concluding Parliament’s role in the process. 2&nbsp;years after the EU signed the Istanbul Convention - it has still not been ratified because of the refusal of a few member states, despite&nbsp;Parliament’s multiple calls to this end.

However, the EU&nbsp;Court of Justice’s opinion of 6 October 2021&nbsp;confirmed that the European Union can ratify the Istanbul Convention without having the agreement of all member states. The Court found that the appropriate scope for the EU’s accession is asylum, judicial cooperation in criminal matters, and obligations of the EU institutions and public administration.

The EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention does not exempt member states from ratifying it themselves, MEPs have repeatedly said, urging the remaining five&nbsp;countries - Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Lithuania and Slovakia - to ratify the Convention without delay, so that it can protect women to the full extent of the Convention’s intended scope

sexual and reproductive health and rights (T)

violence against women (T)

International Women's Day (T)

gender balance (T)

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM)

9th parliamentary term

Violence against women

EP Plenary session (24-27/11): editing shots (exterior and interior shots of the EP)

EP Plenary Session - Combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence

Combating gender-based cyberviolence: MEPs debate

Combating gender-based cyberviolence: closing statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

Combating gender-based cyberviolence: opening statements by Elissavet VOZEMBERG-VRIONIDI (EPP, EL), Sylwia SPUREK (Greens/EFA, PL), rapporteurs and by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

Combating Gender based Violence - Cyber Violence: statement by Sylwia SPUREK (GREENS/EFA, PL), Rapporteur and extracts of the meeting on "Eliminating Violence against Women" panel on cyberviolence

FEMM Committee - Eliminating Violence against Women

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: illumination of the EP buildings and extracts from the debate

The International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women and the State of play on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention: MEPs debate (continuation of part 1/2)

The International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women and the State of play on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention: opening statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

EP Plenary Session - The International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women and the State of play on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention

ECON Committee - Statement ahead of the European Gender Equality Week

Closing the gender gap in the EU

International Day for the Elimination of violence against Women - "Orange the world"

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Need to fight the systematic problem of gender based violence in Europe

FEMM - Hearing on Gender oppression and violations of women's rights: the case of Iranian women as well as Kurdish women, and gender apartheid

Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Common definition of rape based on the absence of consent: extracts from the debate (27.05) and the vote (28.05)

Voting Session: Erixon (A10-0086/2026) - Incir, Scheuring-Wielgus (A10-0047/2026) - Sanchez (A10-0080/2026) - Zovko (A10-0043/2026) - Hohlmeier (A10-0022/2026) - Attard (A10-0078/2026)

Importance of consent-based rape legislation in the EU: MEPs debate (part 2)

Importance of consent-based rape legislation in the EU: MEPs debate (part 1)

International Women’s Day: Video-Clip

International Women's Day 2026: extracts from the meeting between Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Jackie FOX, "Coco's Law" campaigner and extracts from the address to the plenary

Fight against cyberbullying: statement by Jackie FOX, Nicole's Mother and Campaigner for Coco's Law

Infoclip: Women’s Rights - Combating Disinformation and Violence in the Digital Age

Tackling AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media: closing statements by Henna VIRKKUNEN, European Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty Security and Democracy and Marilena RAOUNA, Deputy Minister for European Affairs European Union (Cyprus)

Tackling AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media: MEPs debate (part 2)

Tackling AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media: MEPs debate (part 1)

Tackling AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media: opening statements by Marilena RAOUNA, Deputy Minister for European Affairs European Union (Cyprus) and Henna VIRKKUNEN, European Commissioner for Tech Sovereignty Security and Democracy

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: One round of political group speakers

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

"Orange the World": lighting of the EP buildings and orange flag in Strasbourg for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Infoclip: Gender Equality Week - Women in Arts

Press conference by Hilde VAUTMANS (RE, BE), Chair of UE/ACP delegation and Denis MUKWEGE, 2014 Sakharov Prize and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, on combating sexual violence in the DRC and beyond

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: extracts from the debate

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: MEPs Debate part 1

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