EU states sign Dublin Declaration to tackle gender-based violence

Cate McCurry, PA

The joint effort within Europe to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will be “bigger and better” after the majority members of the Council of Europe signed the Dublin Declaration.

A total of 38 of the 46 members states signed up to adopt the declaration, which will require states to ensure it has strategies aimed at preventing and combating violence against women.

It was formally adopted at a two-day conference at the RDS in Dublin, hosted by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.

Ms McEntee described it as a “successful conference”, where 46 member states of the Council of Europe attended.

📢 Today, Minister @HMcEntee opened a two-day conference of @coe Justice Ministers examining integrated prevention measures to end domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV).

🚨 There should be #ZeroTolerance and #NoSafeHaven for #DSGBV.#NoSafeHaven pic.twitter.com/L17qtX1x80

— Department of Justice 🇮🇪 (@DeptJusticeIRL) September 29, 2022

“I am really pleased to say that we adopted the Dublin Declaration, which really means that the Council of Europe can have bigger and better cooperation among Member States to try and tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence,” the Fine Gael minister said on Friday.

“Some of the key areas that we focused on in our discussion, but also in the declaration was prevention, looking at our structures and how we can change behaviour by changing our structures, education, looking at perpetrator programmes, which is an area that hasn’t really been focused on too much up until now.

“But also looking at training professionals, gardai, health professionals, legal professionals and anybody who has come into contact with victims and perpetrators, so really pleased that we can get consensus today and obviously make sure that what we’ve discussed here continues on after today.”

She would not, however, be drawn into stating which countries did not adopt the Dublin Declaration, but said they will work with them to overcome its issues.

“It is still open and we possibly will have more. We’re still engaging with a few others on it,” she added.

“Really pleased that out of 46, we have 38. We do have three countries that haven’t ratified the Istanbul Convention that have signed up, so to me that’s a real positive because I think it shows their intent.

“While it’s not legally binding document, it’s documents like this that actually led to the Istanbul Convention. I think it shows a real commitment on their part.

“Some of the member states, some of the reasons they have raised are constitutional and I think we need to keep working with them, offering support and help, and that’s what I did this afternoon.

“We very clearly said that we have officials, we have experts, we have people who are willing to engage with you and work with you to try and overcome any of the challenges that you have.”