On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, France reiterates its condemnation of such violence everywhere and in all circumstances. With current events powerfully reminding us of the reality of this intolerable violence, be it in Sudan, Ukraine, Israel, the DRC or so many other contries, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Mme Catherine Colonna has constantly recalled that rape and other forms of sexual violence constitute war crimes.
As part of its feminist diplomacy, France is determined to support women and men who defend women’s rights. France will continue to campaign for a zero-tolerance policy on violence against women. It welcomes the fact that Moldova, the United Kingdom and Ukraine in 2022 and the European Union in 2023 signed up to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention. It will continue its active efforts to bring about its universal ratification.
France is supporting the Support Fund for Feminist Organizations (FSOF), which it created in 2020, to the tune of €250 million for the period 2023-2027: €134 million has already been released for 1,000 civil society organizations in 73 countries. France also supports the Action Coalition on Gender-based Violence launched by the Generation Equality Forum held in Paris in 2021, co-chaired with Mexico and under the aegis of UN Women, which has announced 750 action commitments worth a total of $960 million.
Finally, France is promoting access to justice and reparations for victims. Since 2019 it has provided €8.2 million of financial support to the Global Survivors Fund for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, created by Dr [Denis] Mukwege et Ms Nadia Murad, recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize 2018, and it will provide it with an additional contribution of €6 million for the next three years. Among other things, the Fund is piloting a French-funded project launched by the Minister and Nadia Murad in November 2022, to address the needs of victims of the sexual violence committed in relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Because there is no lack of opponents of women and their rights, France will never cease its constant active efforts to end all forms of gender-based violence throughout the world, and will maintain its unfailing commitment to combat impunity for its perpetrators.
Originally published at https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/feminist-diplomacy/article/international-day-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women-25-nov-2023
