Toespraak van staatssecretaris Van Rijn op de World Conference of Women’s Shelters

Toespraak | 09-11-2015

Ms Bandana Rana, Ms Halsema,
ladies and gentlemen,

I, too,  support this Call for Action. Because it’s clear that we need to take action. And we need to act together.

To provide proper shelter for women who have been abused. To help women find the strength to rebuild their lives. And most important: to put an end to violence against women.

Violence does not only affect women. The people in their lives also suffer from violence. Violence against women ultimately poisons and disrupts all of society.

Like Hillary Clinton said twenty years ago at the World Conference on Women in Beijing: 'If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well.'

Therefore, we need to keep working in order to end violence against women. Sexual and domestic violence against women is not a private matter that affects only women,  it is a political and social problem that affects all of us.

The past few days have proven that we are willing and able to take action. You came from all over the world to The Hague specially to attend this conference. You have listened to inspirational speakers. You have shared experiences, came up with fresh ideas and made agreements.

I hope you go home with new energy, to keep up the important work you're doing. I commend the Global Network of Women's Shelters for all their efforts so far.

It is very important that there is a worldwide network. You have managed to raise awareness concerning the violence against women all around the world. Your network does everything possible to foster social change. Because the repression of women and violence against women are not acceptable.

This World Conference has bolstered the network, regionally as well as globally. Each region – Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Oceania and Indigenous Peoples – has its own burning issues, that must be tackled.

But the overarching theme is that we can only prevent and end violence against women by working together: women and men, the police and the courts, social workers and care providers, NGOs and government agencies. Together, we can make a difference.

The Global Network has its seat in The Hague. And it goes without saying that my colleagues and I are eager to keep working together with you, to continue to 'connect and act'.

In closing, I would like to thank the organization for this fantastic conference. It’s been a big success. I look forward to the fourth edition.

Thank you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ES-4Xs_GwU