PARLIAMENT OF ROMANIA

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES SENATE

DECLARATION

1. We, members of the Romanian Parliament, have sworn when taking office to defend democracy, the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. We publicly and with no reserve condemn the violence against women, including the family violence. This type of violence knows no geographical or ethnical boundaries and can occur in any type of family relation and in any social environment.
2. The violence against women involves huge costs for the society:
· Those arising from the increase of medical care expenses, protection expense, justice system and police expenses and social service expenses;
· An individual cost supported by women who are victims of this kind of violence, through the abuse on their physical integrity and dignity as human beings;
· Those concerning the children, collateral victims of this kind of violence.
3. We are convinced that the success of combating the violence against women, including the family violence helps building a society in which fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens, women and men alike, are respected.
4. We, members of the Senate and of the Chamber of Deputies, elected representatives of the people, affirm that the struggle for preventing and combating violence against women is a priority of our working agenda, both within the legislative body and in the field, in our electoral constituencies.
5. The Parliament of Romania supports and contributes by all means available, to the good performance of the campaign to combat the violence against women, including the family violence initiated by the Council of Europe, to be launched in Madrid on the 27^th of November 2006.

This declaration was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in their joint session on the 23^rd of November 2006.

for the SPEAKER OF THE for the SPEAKER OF THE
CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES SENATE
Daniela Popa Teodor Melescanu