Speeches

Madam President, democracy cannot be preserved if freedom of the media, freedom of assembly and freedom of association are not guaranteed, encouraged and respected. These are the key to the foundation of our EU and of each of our Member States. The use of strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs, as we commonly know them, filed against people or organisations who speak out on public issues, are clear attacks on the values we protect daily. They are often designed to be never ending, to intimidate, harass and deplete the resources of diligent citizens to stop them from speaking out. Over the past few years we have heard in this very House many examples of backsliding in some Member States with regard to human rights, and of several journalists being murdered for reporting on corruption. It is essential that we work collectively to improve the democratic space available for all of our citizens and ensure that civil society organisations and journalists report on, and bring the light needed to, important issues affecting citizens right across our EU. If we continue to ignore the growing use and issue of SLAPPs, we turn our back on the protection of our democracy and the individuals and organisations who work to make our Union a safer place. Finally, EU-level attention to this issue is needed and we must now continue to work to ensure that national legislation follows suit.

Mr President, Commissioner, the covid pandemic has emphasised an epidemic that has existed for many years. The escalating numbers of women and girls who have and continue to experience gender-based violence is rampant. This is why this body of work is essential to ensure the Commission fulfils their promise to every woman and girl in making gender-based violence a Euro-crime. We also need to address perceptions and beliefs within our own communities, workplaces, schools, political institutions and systems that we sit in today, and our homes, about gender-based violence, in order to eliminate the horrific abuse women and girls experience each and every day. In 2014, it was reported one third of women in the EU have experienced physical and/or sexual violence, and close to 50 women lost their lives every week to domestic violence. That was in 2014. In 2021 this pandemic has only exacerbated the violence and abuse those women and girls experience every day. Education plays a vital role to outline the importance of consent and respectful communication, both offline and online. It is vital that we introduce a culture of respect and equality for our women and girls throughout the world. Combating gender-based violence is not just a woman’s rights campaign or an LGBITQ+ campaign. This is a campaign for human rights. It is time for use to take strong, decisive action and ensure a safer future for our women and girls.