Emakunde participates in an international programme to agree upon international standards for supporting women who are the victims of violence
On 27 October 2016, the International Conference on “International standards of quality to support victims of violence against women” was held in Bilbao. A conference that is part of the collaboration work that is being carried out with several UN agencies, among them the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women, with the aim of reaching a global agreement on what the minimum standards should be to support women who are the victims of violence.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The Basque President took part in the conference and stated that violence against women is the “most serious manifestation of inequality” between men and women and a social problem of the highest order that requires an “integral and coordinated” response. Likewise, he reminded those present that the international programme Emakunde is participating in is an acknowledgement of the Basque Country’s equality policies and also an opportunity to continue improving the quality of the support services offered to women who are the victims of violence. In this respect, he established the priorities which are to improve governance, make progress in the change of values, favour the autonomy and empowerment of women and to extend social awareness. “This programme offers us the opportunity to turn international mandates on violence against women into specific tools”, he added.
The aim of the international programme that Emakunde is participating in after being requested to by the UN, and which was explained by the technical adviser on gender issues from the UNFPA, Nigina Abaszade, seeks to reach a consensus that could be ratified in the future by the UN General Assembly on the minimum standards necessary to provide a coordinated and quality response to the needs of women and girls who suffer violence. This programme covers the spheres of policing, justice, health, social services and coordination systems and mechanisms.
The director of Emakunde, Izaskun Landaida, viewed very positively the fact that the UN considers Emakunde as a reference to be consulted on the matter, and pointed out that the work being done within the framework of the collaboration programme will be highly useful to improve support not only for women who are the victims of violence worldwide, but also women who are the victims of violence within the Basque Autonomous Community. Work that is being carried out in the Basque Autonomous Community within the framework of the 2nd Inter-institutional Agreement on Improvements to Support for Women who are the Victims of domestic and sexual Abuse signed in 2009 and which gives continuity to the pioneering one already signed in 2001. This agreement aims for coordination between the institutions involved in providing support for victims so that they are guaranteed integral health, police, justice and social protection.
During her intervention UNFPA adviser Nigina Abaszade described the minimum standards agreed upon until now during the first phase of the programme, which are divided in five modules that can be consulted via the following links:
The programme is currently in its second phase which aims to test these standards (until December 2019) to then later present them at the UN General Assembly for their approval. That is, the goal is to achieve a top-level international agreement that commits states to the implementation of these standards.
