06/03/2026 Equality and Non-Discrimination | Women free from violence | President
PACE President Petra Bayr and the Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo (Monaco, ALDE), made the following joint statement on the eve of International Women’s Day 2026:
“On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we join the United Nations in their call for “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”. It is high time to recognise and break down once and for all the structural barriers that prevent the realisation of women’s rights, including gender stereotypes and certain social norms. Gender equality and the rights of women, in all their diversity, are nothing less than cornerstones of democracy, and their erosion is a clear feature of the democratic backsliding that the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe aims to address.
Despite significant progress in gender equality, recent years have seen a backlash against women’s rights, exacerbated by ideological tensions and efforts to revert to traditional gender roles. Last year, the Assembly put forward concrete measures in Resolution 2614 (2025), urging member states to actively invest in gender equality strategies and programmes, support women's rights defenders, and promote education to combat gender-based violence and discrimination.
2026 marks the first year that the Parliamentary Assembly has achieved gender parity in its composition. And it is with renewed efforts that we continue working for gender equality and women’s rights – for all women – in our continent, despite the growing attacks and disinformation about the Council of Europe’s “golden standard” to protect women against gender-based violence: the Istanbul Convention.
The Assembly, in partnership with the Government of Iceland, will award the Vigdís Prize for Women's Empowerment for the third time this year. The Prize pays tribute to former Icelandic President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir – the first woman who was elected as Head of State - and it rewards outstanding initiative that promote the empowerment of women in all their diversity. Nominations can be sent up to the deadline of 27 March 2026.
We join our voices to demand more commitment, united efforts and increased resources to achieve gender equality in Europe and beyond, by making the human rights of all women a reality in law and in practice, for the benefit of our societies, our young people and our world.”