30/01/2009 Session
In line with the conclusions by Lydie Err (Luxembourg, SOC), rapporteur for the Equal Opportunities Committee, the Assembly today unanimously adopted a resolution asking Mexico to step up its efforts to combat « feminicides » – the murder of a woman because she is a woman. The text follows a previous 2005 resolution on “Disappearance and murder of a great number of women and girls in Mexico”,in which PACE called on the Mexican Congress to complete the planned constitutional and legislative reforms to fight impunity for such grave human rights violations.
PACE welcomed the passing in 2007 of a general law on women’s access to a life without violence and recommended that Mexico ensure the law was implemented. It also asked Mexico to develop working methods to increase the efficiency of investigations when women disappear or are victims of violence.
To apply the concept of « feminicide » effectively in Europe, PACE proposed that the member states consider including aggravating circumstances in criminal legislation, where women have suffered violence or been killed because of their gender. The parliamentarians also expressed their dismay about the millions of « missing » women and girls (who either remain unborn or meet an early death due to lack of care) in Asia, China and North Africa - a trend that affects Europe in some immigrant communities which prefer boys.