The Council of Europe campaign to combat violence against women, including domestic violence, has been laid out in a new Blueprint for action. The document sets out the goals of the campaign, which are to raise awareness among Europeans that violence against women is a human rights violation and domestic violence is not a private issue; to encourage states to allot adequate resources to prevent and combat violence as well as to implement a system of data collection for monitoring the issue; and to promote legislation and action plans on a domestic level that address violence against women effectively. The blueprint recognizes the damaging effects of patriarchal attitudes and calls on all states to be proactive in fighting gender stereotypes and discriminatory traditions. It also sets a timeline for the campaign and identifies critical opportunities for raising awareness, such as International Women’s Day.
Compiled from: "Blueprint of the Council of Europe Campaign to Combat Violence Against Women, Including Domestic Violence," Task Force to combat violence against women, 21 June 2006. Accessed 13 July 2006.