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. Six 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 six countries - Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, 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

Violence against women

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The right to health, including sexual and reproductive health, is protected internationally.&nbsp;Access to sexual and reproductive healthcare goods and services is a fundamental component of sexual and reproductive rights.

Under international human rights law and standards, European Union Member States should ensure access to safe and quality sexual and reproductive healthcare.

A range of United Nations (UN) treaties ban discrimination in general terms, effectively outlawing discrimination in sexual and reproductive health and rights. These rights include the right to health and the right to family planning, equal access to service, freedom from violence and the right to life. Specific international treaty protections exist to combat discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability but not sexual orientation or gender identity.

At European level, the Council of Europe protects sexual and reproductive health and rights through the European Convention on Human Rights and through the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention).

Sexual and reproductive health and rights

EP Plenary session - Women activism – human rights defenders related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)

FEMM LIBE joint meeting - Consequences of the de facto abortion ban in Poland

EP Plenary session - US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights in the United States and the need to safeguard abortion rights and Women’s health including in the EU

EP Plenary session  - Global threats to abortion rights: the possible overturn of abortion rights in the US by the Supreme Court

EP Plenary session-Topical debate: Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights in the European Union

EP Plenary session - The situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women s health

Plenary session - Criminalisation of sexual education in Poland

Plenary session week 11 2017 in Strasbourg - Global Gag Rule

The FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality) and LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) Committees debate in a joint hearing on the consequences of the abortion ban in Poland with Barbara SKROBOL, sister-in-law of Ms Izabela SAJBOR, the first known victim of the de facto abortion ban, Kamila FERENC, Lawyer of FEDERA Foundation, and Caroline HICKSON, Regional Director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network.

Consequences of the de facto abortion ban in Poland - FEMM/LIBE Committees: extracts from the joint hearing

Backlash against women's rights in Poland, including sexual and reproductive health and rights – findings of FEMM delegation to Poland. Press conference by Robert BIEDROŃ (S&D, PL), Chair of FEMM Committee. Additional statements by Urszula GRYCUK, Vice-President of the FEDERA Foundation for Women and Family Planning Jolanta BUDZOWSKA, lawyer of the family of Izabela Sajbor, the first known victim of the abortion ban in Poland.This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press conference on the backlash against women's rights in Poland by Robert BIEDROŃ (S&D, PL), Chair of FEMM Committee

Following the US Supreme Court’s vote to overturn guaranteed nationwide protection of abortion rights on 24 June, MEPs reaffirm their support for both the provision of and advocacy for the right and access to legal and safe abortion care. Closing statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality.

US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights and the need to safeguard abortion rights and Women’s health including in the EU: closing statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

Following the US Supreme Court’s vote to overturn guaranteed nationwide protection of abortion rights on 24 June, MEPs reaffirm their support for both the provision of and advocacy for the right and access to legal and safe abortion care.

US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights and the need to safeguard abortion rights and Women’s health including in the EU: MEPs debate

Following the US Supreme Court’s vote to overturn guaranteed nationwide protection of abortion rights on 24 June, MEPs reaffirm their support for both the provision of and advocacy for the right and access to legal and safe abortion care. Extracts from the debate.

US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights in the United States and the need to safeguard abortion rights and Women’s health including in the EU: extracts from the debate

Following the US Supreme Court’s vote to overturn guaranteed nationwide protection of abortion rights on 24 June, MEPs reaffirm their support for both the provision of and advocacy for the right and access to legal and safe abortion care. Opening statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality.

US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights in the US and the need to safeguard abortion rights and Women’s health including in the EU: opening statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

During the plenary session (23-24 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health.

The situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health: MEPs debate

During the plenary session (23-24 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health: closing statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality.

The situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health: closing statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

sexual and reproductive health and rights (T)

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