As delivered by Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe

 

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mexico, dear Alicia,

Ministers,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

It is an enormous pleasure to be here in Mexico City –

And to address issues that mean so much for so many around the world.

I thank you, Foreign Minister, for inviting me to speak –

And I also thank officials in her ministry, the National Women’s Institute and UN Women for their organisation of this event.

As is so often the case, when women collaborate, good things happen.

The fact that such a diverse range of countries –

From around the world –

Have sent such high-level representatives –

And that the last three days has provided such space for sharing ideas, experiences and best practice –

All of this can only pave the way to further steps forward on feminist foreign policies.

Like so many of you –

I believe that these are essential to ensuring that the UN Summit for the Future, its Pact for the Future and the UN Sustainable Goals –

Are not only aspirational events and words –

But become landmark achievements –

And that they do so as quickly as possible.

As a European, I am proud that many of the countries that have adopted such policies in recent years are from my continent –

But I am far from satisfied.

Because other European states have not –

And there are also signs that some have gone backwards.

I have no doubt that this is linked to the recent rise of anti-rights movements –

Part of a wider trend of democratic backsliding –

Which is itself fuelled by the resurgence of extreme populism and nationalism in parts of Europe –

And the wider world.

Last year, my Organisation, the Council of Europe, held a Summit of the Heads of State and Government of our 46 member states.

This took place in Reykjavík, Iceland –

And was the largest ever gathering of our European leaders.

There, they committed to stopping and reversing this democratic backsliding –

Including through the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights –

Which has the force of law in every one of our member states –

And through the execution of the final judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, which interprets it.

The Convention and the Court have done a great deal over the years to clarify women’s rights in law –

And to ensure that governments respect them.

This is an international, multilateral approach –

That elevates the rights of individuals – of women – above the tides of politics.

But it is important to say the Council of Europe has also worked with our members states over many years to advance women’s rights and interests –

Through various legal and soft-law initiatives.

This approach has evolved in line with the evolving challenges of our times.

Today, our Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence is central to our effort.

This treaty aims to prevent violence, protect its victims and help prosecute the perpetrators.

In force for 10 years now, the Istanbul Treaty recognises that violence scars, intimidates and inhibits its victims –

Undermining their freedom, security and potential.

Until this is stopped –

And it must be stopped –

True gender equality cannot be achieved.

But why are we so sure that the Istanbul Convention is a central part of the answer?

Because, over the course of a decade, we have seen its impact with our own eyes.

In every country that has ratified this treaty, laws have been changed.

Offences have been defined, including rape, stalking, forced marriage, sexual harassment, and female genital mutilation –

And national policies and national action plans have been put in place –

Supported by our monitoring bodies –

Which are doing so much good for so many women in so many communities.

Despite the mis-interpretations – and misrepresentations –

Often underpinned by misogyny, and the anti-women, anti-rights movements that cause so much harm.

The Istanbul Convention’s circle of membership continues to grow.

38 countries have now ratified the treaty.

So has the European Union.

And others – including from outside Europe – are preparing to do so.

The UN has described the Istanbul Treaty as the “gold standard” in its field.

We are determined to share that standard ever more widely.

There is still more to do, of course.

In fact, our new Gender Equality Strategy is taking on that challenge.

Launched this year, the Strategy is uniquely tailored to fit the times we live in.

Our societies are fast-changing –

And our action for equality must keep pace.

The rise of digital technology has brought new forms of violence with it –

Of which most victims are women and girls –

As you have discussed.

Online trolling and cyberstalking, sexist abuse and hate speech, sextortion, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, deepfakes, doxing, hacking and rape threats –

The list is long, and seems ever-growing –

And so too are the number of offences.

One recent survey suggested that 58% of girls and young women have faced some form of online harassment.

Other groups of women are also at higher risk.

Women in public life, for example –

Including lawmakers, human rights defenders, and journalists.

This kind of violence also remains largely unreported and unpunished –

An impunity that can only encourage more offending.

So, we need effective means to tackle these forms of violence –

And to ensure equal access to justice too.

That is why our new Gender Equality Strategy –

Alongside the Istanbul Convention, and a new recommendation to member states –

Will form a trinity of measures to provide greater protection and justice.

But the new Strategy is not limited to issues of violence.

It takes other challenges head on too.

These include combating sexism and gender stereotyping.

On this, the implementation of our 2019 recommendation to our member states’ governments has already led to positive change.

New laws, better data collection, and awareness-raising campaigns have achieved a lot at national level.

But we need to go further –

Especially in light of new dimensions to the issue –

Including the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

AI systems’ datasets and sources often lock in gender bias –

And then replicate it –

Assuming that women fill domestic or family roles, for example –

While associating men with business, leadership and money.

On top of that, AI-related industries are tilted towards men.

Women represent just 18% of authors at AI conferences –

12% of AI researchers –

And 6% of professional software developers.

As in other fields, AI needs a more diverse, gender-equal workforce –

To ensure balance, inclusion of interests and proper representation.

Taken together, the new Gender Equality Strategy and our new Framework Convention on AI will seek to ensure this.

The Strategy will also look more broadly at achieving balanced participation of women and men in political and public life.

In most European countries, women’s representation in legislative, executive and judicial bodies remains stubbornly below the Council of Europe’s agreed minimum of 40%.

In Europe’s parliaments, for example, less than a third of members are women.

To address this, parity initiatives and gender quotas are important –

But we also need a mix of measures to change the culture and make participation easier and more attractive.

Efforts to stop sexism and discrimination of all kinds –

To create a welcoming environment –

And to promote work-life balance.

These are important to achieving fair participation in economic and social life more generally –

As are access to the labour market –

Equal pay, for which we have long campaigned, and at least narrowed the gap –

And the sharing of caring and domestic work.

We need further progress on all of this –

Just as we need the Strategy to expand the reach of gender mainstreaming –

So that the importance of equality is baked into policy and decision-making processes.

On this, we have a new online course for the legal and policy professionals –

And a new intersectional approach that considers specific needs and vulnerabilities.

This year’s recommendation to member states on equality for Roma and Traveller Women and Girls is a positive example of what this approach looks like in practice.

Other priorities include further work to help men and boys understand their role in making gender equality a reality –

And why this is in their interests too –

And women’s empowerment in relation to global and geopolitical challenges –

Paying particular attention to key issues such as the impact of climate change on gender equality –

And the need to build on our 2022 recommendation on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls.

Looking back, all of the progress that the Council of Europe has made on gender equality has come from working not just with national authorities –

Vital though that is –

But also from harnessing the ideas, insights and determination of activists, civil society organisations, and the private sector.

But the progress that we have made is uneven and incomplete.

And the social and technological development of twenty-first century Europe means that both the challenges themselves –

And our understanding of how to meet them –

Are developing fast.

Only by working together can we hope to make gender equality the reality that we long for –

In the interests of all Europeans, and of people around the world.

So, this event is not only a space for sharing perspectives –

But also for building alliances –

Wide and strong –

So that feminist foreign policies win the battle of ideas –

Are adopted –

And make our world a better, more equal and more inclusive place –

In which every individual can live and thrive in dignity.

Thank you.