On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Farnesina and its foreign network join the "UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”, promoted by UN Women, which in 2022 is focused on the fundamental contribution of civil society movements, organizations andcivil society stakeholders, including women and girl activists, to raise the level of public awareness on these issues. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirms its commitment to increase efforts towards gender equality and invites everyone to take new important steps towards this goal, which no country in the world, to date, can say it has achieved.
Women and girls continue to be, in many areas of the world, especially in situations of armed conflict and emergencies, victims of discrimination, violence, abuse and exploitation. The difficult condition of women but also, conversely, the talent, courage and contribution that women can make to the construction of more inclusive and resilient societies is a central theme in some of the most serious international crises, from Afghanistan to Ethiopia , from Ukraine to Iran. The consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, wars and protracted crises have aggravated the pre-existing conditions of vulnerability and significantly contributed to the increase in cases of domestic violence and abuse. United Nations data show us that, even today, one in three women has suffered abuse and violence, physical or psychological, in their lifetime. In 2021, one in ten women was a victim of domestic violence.
Faced with these alarming data, Italy once again expresses its firmest condemnation against all forms of discrimination and violence against women, an unacceptable phenomenon and a serious impediment to the achievement of gender equality, the effective enjoyment of rights and full personal fulfilment .
The fight against all forms of discrimination, violence and abuse against women and girls is a priority commitment of our country's foreign policy action, which the Farnesina carries out both on a diplomatic-negotiating level and through emergency and development cooperation initiatives. Witness the numerous international campaigns, such as those for the eradication of female genital mutilation (FGM) and early and forced marriages, which have always seen Italy at the forefront.
The goal of eliminating all forms of violence against women and empowering women, which are central pillars of Italian foreign policy and cooperation, were among the priorities of the last Italian mandate in the United Nations Human Rights Council (2019-2021 ), of the the G20 Italian Presidency of 2021 (with the first high-level Conference dedicated to women's empowerment and an ad hoc event dedicated to Afghan women alongside the UN General Assembly) and of the six-month Italian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (November 2021-May 2022), within which Italy supports and promotes the "Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence" (or "Istanbul Convention").
The conflicts currently underway in many areas of the world demonstrate once again how, in situations of war and emergencies, women and girls are particularly exposed to the risk of violence and abuse. Hence the need to continue to strengthen our commitment, together with all the actors of the international community, including civil society, to eradicate these unacceptable acts forever.
With regard to the internal organization of working methods, the Farnesina continues to promote equal gender opportunities, as also highlighted by the adoption, last year, of Circular no. 3/2021, with which the MAECI adapts to the highest standards of promotion of gender equality. Similarly, with the adoption on 18 January of Circular no. 1/2022 concerning the updating of working methods and organizational well-being, the need to always enhance, in daily work, the concrete implementation of the constitutional principle of equality was reaffirmed, understood both as a prohibition of discrimination and as a promotion effective parity.
In depth
The protection and promotion of women's rights, gender equality and female empowerment, as well as the fight against all forms of discrimination and violence against women, girls and girls are priorities of Italy's international action, in multilateral and regional contexts, in bilateral relations with other States, in International Organizations and in the context of Development Cooperation programs, for the full realization of the sustainable development goal SDG 5 of the 2030 Agenda, of the Action Plan of the Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 and the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025.
In this regard, in December 2020 the Guidelines on gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls and girls (2020-2024), drawn up by AICS with the assistance of the Directorate General for Development Cooperation (DGCS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, were adopted. The new guidelines aim to strengthen the commitment of Italian cooperation for the elimination of gender-related discrimination through development projects and define the priority sectors of intervention.
Italy's commitment to women's empowerment is expressed through strong support for the protection, autonomy and full human, social, economic and cultural development of every woman. This takes the form of specific initiatives ranging from women's, mother-child, sexual and reproductive health, to the fight against female genital mutilation and early marriages, to support for programs in favor of the education of girls and women and development projects of female entrepreneurship.
Italy has also adhered to the OECD-DAC Recommendation of 12 July 2019 to end sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in development aid and humanitarian assistance. In this context, Italy has constantly supported the "zero tolerance" policies and the initiatives undertaken to strengthen the prevention, reporting, reporting and protection mechanisms for victims. These issues were among the priorities of our last mandate in the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (2019-2021) and of the six-month Italian presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (November 2021-May 2022).
Italy strongly supports international campaigns for the elimination of harmful practices against women and girls, such as female genital mutilation and early and forced marriages, actively promoting and participating in the negotiations on related resolutions of the General Assembly (AG) and of the Human Rights Council, and by annually making voluntary contributions to numerous United Nations agencies, strongly committed to the fight for gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls and girls (such as UNWOMEN, UNFPA, UNICEF). Furthermore, the same Agencies benefit from Italian Cooperation funds for the implementation of humanitarian initiatives in the main crisis contexts, such as Afghanistan, where, following the events of August 2021, interventions with a specific focus on the needs of women and girls.
Italy actively participates, through contributions from the Italian Development Cooperation, in multilateral programs dedicated to the elimination of female genital mutilation and early and forced marriages.
Italy actively supports international initiatives to prevent sexual violence in conflict and emergency situations, such as the "Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies".
At a national level, the MAECI participates with its own Representative in the Observatory on the phenomenon of violence against women and domestic violence, as part of the "National strategic plan on male violence against women 2021-2023" adopted by the Ministry of Equal opportunities.On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Farnesina and its foreign network join the "UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”, promoted by UN Women, which in 2022 is focused on the fundamental contribution of civil society movements, organizations and civil society stakeholders, including women and girl activists, to raise the level of public awareness on these issues. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation confirms its commitment to increase efforts towards gender equality and invites everyone to take new important steps towards this goal, which no country in the world, to date, can say it has achieved.
Women and girls continue to be, in many areas of the world, especially in situations of armed conflict and emergencies, victims of discrimination, violence, abuse and exploitation. The difficult condition of women but also, conversely, the talent, courage and contribution that women can make to the construction of more inclusive and resilient societies is a central theme in some of the most serious international crises, from Afghanistan to Ethiopia , from Ukraine to Iran. The consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, wars and protracted crises have aggravated the pre-existing conditions of vulnerability and significantly contributed to the increase in cases of domestic violence and abuse. United Nations data show us that, even today, one in three women has suffered abuse and violence, physical or psychological, in their lifetime. In 2021, one in ten women was a victim of domestic violence.
Faced with these alarming data, Italy once again expresses its firmest condemnation against all forms of discrimination and violence against women, an unacceptable phenomenon and a serious impediment to the achievement of gender equality, the effective enjoyment of rights and full personal fulfilment .
The fight against all forms of discrimination, violence and abuse against women and girls is a priority commitment of our country's foreign policy action, which the Farnesina carries out both on a diplomatic-negotiating level and through emergency and development cooperation initiatives. Witness the numerous international campaigns, such as those for the eradication of female genital mutilation (FGM) and early and forced marriages, which have always seen Italy at the forefront.
The goal of eliminating all forms of violence against women and empowering women, which are central pillars of Italian foreign policy and cooperation, were among the priorities of the last Italian mandate in the United Nations Human Rights Council (2019-2021 ), of the the G20 Italian Presidency of 2021 (with the first high-level Conference dedicated to women's empowerment and an ad hoc event dedicated to Afghan women alongside the UN General Assembly) and of the six-month Italian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (November 2021-May 2022), within which Italy supports and promotes the "Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence" (or "Istanbul Convention").
The conflicts currently underway in many areas of the world demonstrate once again how, in situations of war and emergencies, women and girls are particularly exposed to the risk of violence and abuse. Hence the need to continue to strengthen our commitment, together with all the actors of the international community, including civil society, to eradicate these unacceptable acts forever.
With regard to the internal organization of working methods, the Farnesina continues to promote equal gender opportunities, as also highlighted by the adoption, last year, of Circular no. 3/2021, with which the MAECI adapts to the highest standards of promotion of gender equality. Similarly, with the adoption on 18 January of Circular no. 1/2022 concerning the updating of working methods and organizational well-being, the need to always enhance, in daily work, the concrete implementation of the constitutional principle of equality was reaffirmed, understood both as a prohibition of discrimination and as a promotion effective parity.
In depth
The protection and promotion of women's rights, gender equality and female empowerment, as well as the fight against all forms of discrimination and violence against women, girls and girls are priorities of Italy's international action, in multilateral and regional contexts, in bilateral relations with other States, in International Organizations and in the context of Development Cooperation programs, for the full realization of the sustainable development goal SDG 5 of the 2030 Agenda, of the Action Plan of the Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024 and the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025.
In this regard, in December 2020 the Guidelines on gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls and girls (2020-2024), drawn up by AICS with the assistance of the Directorate General for Development Cooperation (DGCS) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation were adopted. The new guidelines aim to strengthen the commitment of Italian cooperation for the elimination of gender-related discrimination through development projects and define the priority sectors of intervention.
Italy's commitment to women's empowerment is expressed through strong support for the protection, autonomy and full human, social, economic and cultural development of every woman. This takes the form of specific initiatives ranging from women's, mother-child, sexual and reproductive health, to the fight against female genital mutilation and early marriages, to support for programs in favor of the education of girls and women and development projects of female entrepreneurship.
Italy has also adhered to the OECD-DAC Recommendation of 12 July 2019 to end sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in development aid and humanitarian assistance. In this context, Italy has constantly supported the "zero tolerance" policies and the initiatives undertaken to strengthen the prevention, reporting, reporting and protection mechanisms for victims. These issues were among the priorities of our last mandate in the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (2019-2021) and of the six-month Italian presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (November 2021-May 2022).
Italy strongly supports international campaigns for the elimination of harmful practices against women and girls, such as female genital mutilation and early and forced marriages, actively promoting and participating in the negotiations on related resolutions of the General Assembly (AG) and of the Human Rights Council, and by annually making voluntary contributions to numerous United Nations agencies, strongly committed to the fight for gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls and girls (such as UNWOMEN, UNFPA, UNICEF). Furthermore, the same Agencies benefit from Italian Cooperation funds for the implementation of humanitarian initiatives in the main crisis contexts, such as Afghanistan, where, following the events of August 2021, interventions with a specific focus on the needs of women and girls.
Italy actively participates, through contributions from the Italian Development Cooperation, in multilateral programs dedicated to the elimination of female genital mutilation and early and forced marriages.
Italy actively supports international initiatives to prevent sexual violence in conflict and emergency situations, such as the "Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence in Emergencies".
At a national level, the MAECI participates with its own Representative in the Observatory on the phenomenon of violence against women and domestic violence, as part of the "National strategic plan on male violence against women 2021-2023" adopted by the Ministry of Equal opportunities.
