Gender-Based Violence Conference Held in Remich

Luxembourg's Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity has reported that a conference dedicated to the subject of gender-based violence took place at CEFOS in Remich on Monday 20 January 2025.

As part of work on the national strategy on gender-based violence, Luxembourg's Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity, Yuriko Backes, invited stakeholders from the various professional sectors involved in the care of victims and perpetrators, as well as in the fight against violence, to the first "Assises" on gender-based violence.

The conference was organised as a day of reflection with the objective of discussing, "in a consultative and participatory approach and based on field expertise", the various components for the first national strategy to combat all forms of gender-based violence as set out in the government coalition agreement.

The day began with a speech by Minister Backes, followed by a presentation on gender-based violence covered by the Istanbul Convention by Anna Matteoli, Doctor of Law, Director of the Bas-Rhin Information Centre on the Rights of Women and Families (CIDFF67) in Strasbourg, and trainer with the Council of Europe.

In her speech, Minister Backes first thanked the participants for their commitment to actively contributing to the development of the national strategy on gender-based violence in "a very difficult context". She noted that the issues of gender equality and diversity are currently subject to fundamental questioning through various movements spreading messages which are "clearly against an inclusive and egalitarian society". She highlighted the "huge challenge" posed by the anti-gender climate fuelled on social networks and preparing the way for physical violence in all spheres of life. "Through the conference, we are joining forces to counter these trends and to jointly provide strategic responses in this area," the minister stated.

Using the format of thematic workshops on five fundamental aspects (training, awareness-raising and information, support for perpetrators, support for victims, data collection and research), the experts present discussed the priorities as well as the results of the discussions to be taken into account in the national strategy on gender-based violence.

The ministry recalled that the coalition agreement of November 2023 provides that "the government will develop a comprehensive strategy to combat all forms of gender-based violence covered by the so-called Istanbul Convention (...)". It added that the government has decided to go beyond a strategy by adopting a national action plan formulating strategic objectives as well as concrete measures and actions to achieve them. Whilst acknowledging the need to place particular emphasis on women and girls in the fight against gender-based violence, the ministry noted that this action plan is aimed at all genders: "women, men, non-binary people and children in all their diversity". It added that gender-based violence includes different forms of violence, including in particular: domestic violence; sexual violence, including rape; female genital mutilation; forced marriage and partnership; forced abortion; forced sterilisation; harassment and sexual harassment; so-called honour killings; human trafficking; new forms of digital violence facilitated by digital technologies including social networks.

The objective is to adopt this first national action plan for Luxembourg in this area before summer 2025.