Contributed by: Biljana Brankovic, Serbia National VAW Monitor

The Heads of State and Government of Council of Europe member states decided in the Action Plan adopted during the Third Summit of the Council of Europe (in Warsaw, 16-17 May, 2005) to launch a pan-European Campaign to Combat Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence. The campaign will be carried out in close cooperation with other European and national actors, including NGOs.

A need to adopt efficient actions aimed at combating VAW was confirmed in the relevant decision of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the protection of women against violence - Recommendation Rec (2002) 5, which was adopted on 30 April 2002. Upon adoption of this important document, a Task Force was established in 2006 to evaluate the progress achieved at the national level and to formulate proposals for action in this field.

The launching conference of the pan-European campaign will take place in Madrid, Spain on 27 November 2006.

Representatives of 46 member states are invited to the launching conference, as well as numerous international organizations, UN agencies (e.g., UNIFEM, DAW, WHO, etc.), and non-governmental organizations. Among international NGOs, the following are invited: Amnesty International, the Conference of INGOs enjoying participatory status with the Council of Europe, WAVE (Women against Violence Europe, See, European Women’s Lobby, and the European Youth Forum.

The Women’s NGOs Autonomous Women’s Center from Belgrade will participate at the conference, please see: http://www.womenngo.org.yu (in Serbian).

The program and other relevant information (in English) about this conference could be found on the following link:

http://www.coe.int/t/pace/campaign/stopviolence/Source/PDF_DraftProgramme_en.pdf

More information about the pan-European campaign can be found on: http://www.coe.int/t/dc/campaign/stopviolence/default_en.asp

Compiled from: Launching conference of the Council of Europe Campaign to Combat Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence, Council of Europe, Equality between women and men, 7 November 2006; Stop Domestic Violence against Women, Council of Europe, last visited 4 December 2006; PANEVROPSKA KAMPANJA- STOP nasilju nad ženama!, Autonomous Women’s Center, last visited 4 December 2006.