Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster, Nickie Aiken, led the Conservative Group at the Council of Europe debate on gender-based violence towards women and girls.
The debate focused on the Istanbul Convention, and the role every single one of us has to safeguard women and girls from violence. During the debate, Nickie declared that women's and girls' rights are human rights.
Speaking out, Nickie said,
"Equality between men and women is recognised as a principle in international law , articulated by the United Nations from the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights onwards.
"Yet over 70 years later, in too many ways, women are still not equal to men and are facing the same problems of generations gone. Nowhere is this clearer than domestic violence and the threat of sexual violence that women and girls still face.
"In the United Kingdom, tremendous progress has been made such as marital rape being legislated against with the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
"But legislating to criminalise gender-based violence is not enough. We need a society-wide attitude change. That is why I fully support the Istanbul Convention as it obliges signatories to encourage members of society, especially men and boys, to contribute actively to preventing all forms of violence against women and girls. I am proud to see the United Kingdom has ratified the convention.
"Nevertheless, we must never rest, and we must continue to act to protect women and girls in every way. As the Istanbul Convention states, we need to educate and inform boys and girls of all ages, ethnicities, and nationalities that violence against the female sex will never be tolerated. We cannot just continue to advise our daughters on how to act to avoid tension. This will never dissuade men to act badly.
"Instead, we must equally focus on efforts to ensure that our sons, brothers, fathers , and all males respect women and understand the importance of treating everyone with respect and dignity. Men and boys are crucial partners in safeguarding women's rights. Gender-based violence is rooted in gender inequality.
"We can clearly see the correlation between women's rights in a country and its levels of violence and domestic abuse. Women around the world should be empowered to live their lives without concern about basic freedoms. Wearing what they choose, including whether they cover their heads or not. And I take this opportunity to salute the brave Iranian women and their men for standing up against the tyranny of their own government.
"Living a life of freedom also includes choosing who you marry. Forced marriage is a human rights violation, and we must stamp it out where it exists.
"I can conclude by urging all nations in the Council of Europe to send a clear message to the whole world that women’s and girls’ rights are human rights and must be protected."
