The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy adheres to the international mobilization campaign on the occasion of the Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. As indicated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani, “Italy must be at the forefront of promoting gender equality and women’s emancipation, especially to prevent and combat all forms of discrimination and violence against women”.
This year the theme will be brought to the G7 Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Fiuggi-Anagni. On 25 November, during the ministerial meeting, a “red bench” will be inaugurated – in memory of the women victims of violence and their lives lost – with the affixing of a commemorative plaque by the Foreign Ministers present at the Municipal Theatre of Fiuggi, whose façade will be illuminated in orange for the occasion. The initiative confirms the attention that Italy, as G7 Presidency, has dedicated to the issue of preventing and combating violence against women and girls, especially in the numerous situations of conflict, where sexual violence is also used as a weapon of war.
Furthermore, on the recommendation of Minister Tajani, the Foreign Ministry and its foreign network are once again joining the campaign “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”, promoted by UN Women, which kicks off 16 days of initiatives alongside civil society. For the occasion, the Foreign Ministry will be colored orange on 25 November.
The elimination of violence against women and support for women’s emancipation are confirmed as one of the pillars of Italian foreign policy and development cooperation. Evidence of this are the numerous international campaigns, such as those for the eradication of female genital mutilation and early and forced marriages, which have always seen Italy at the forefront, and our commitment within the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Also in the context of the UN Agenda “Women, Peace and Security”, Italy, through a special National Action Plan, is at the forefront among the Member States of the United Nations, promoting initiatives aimed at promoting the full participation of women in all conflict prevention and resolution activities, such as that of the Mediterranean Women Mediators Network, launched by Italy in 2017.
The recent Guidelines of the Italian Cooperation on gender equality and the strengthening of women and girls aim, in this sense, to further intensify our commitment through specific initiatives ranging from women’s, maternal-child, sexual and reproductive health, to support for programs in favor of the education of girls and women.
At the request of Minister Tajani, the Foreign Ministry has dedicated the Foreign Ministry’s ‘Invest Your Talent in Italy’ scholarship programme for young international talents to the memory of Giulia Cecchettin, who was a victim of femicide on the eve of her engineering degree, which combines highly specialised courses in engineering, economics or architecture at Italian universities and training periods in Italian companies.
