GUE/NGL MEP and Chair of Parliament's Women's Rights Committee Mikael Gustafsson has welcomed today's plenary adoption of a report on combatting violence against women.

“This report paves the way for an EU legal instrument against violence against women and girls. I hope now that it will inspire the Commission to finally address this basic human rights issue in a more coherent way with a legislative proposal. We must take a firm stand against violence against women in Europe. We can't turn our heads and ignore this issue.”

He continued: “This report asks for the Commission to adopt the first steps towards establishing a framework for combatting violence against women and girls by the end of 2014 and to identify violence against women and girls, and other forms of gender-based violence, as a crime.

“We must ensure support to women's NGOs and civil society groups working to prevent gender-based violence against women and girls.”

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
David Lundy +32 470 85 05 09
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group