🟠25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Today, the EU marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women It reaffirms its commitment to ending violence against women and girls within the Union and around the world. We stand in solidarity with all victims and survivors. The EU delegation team, men and women, came together to show solidarity with victims of gender-based violence around the world.

This year marks a historic milestone: the EU’s first-ever law to combat violence against women and domestic violence (Directive (EU) 2024/1385) is now in force. It criminalises key forms of offline and online abuse and requires all Member States to strengthen prevention, protection, victim support, access to justice, and cross-border cooperation.

Through the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, the Commission continues to push for strong action to prevent gender-based violence and hold perpetrators accountable.

In early November, the European Parliament called for even stronger measures, including:

• recognising gender-based violence as an EU crime
• recognising femicide as a distinct offence. 

The European Parliament joins the UN’s #OrangeTheWorld campaign, lighting its Strasbourg building orange on 25 November. The EU is participating in the global 16 Days of Activism and raising awareness worldwide with 

#SayNoStopVAW #OrangeTheWorld and #16Days.

Learn more about EU action: EU measures to end violence against women - Consilium