Closing conference of the Council of Europe campaign to Combat Violence against Women, including Domestic Violence
Speech by Claudette Baldacchino, Deputy Mayor Qrendi Local Council, Malta, Vice President Local Councils Association Malta, Member of the Congress for Local and Regional Authorities, Sustainable Development Committee
11 June 2008
IF WE DREAM WE WILL STRUGGLE TO ACHIEVE A EUROPE WITH A MORE HUMANE FACE :
the need for gender budgeting
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, representative of the Maltese Government,
Allow me to call this conference a success story. So many examples, so many benchmarks of good practices have emerged. Yet, still, there is so much more to do by our generation for the present generation, because the FUTURE IS NOW! And that is why if the next generation is to embark on a vision of a social Europe in which gender equality becomes an integrated aspect of its values and social environment it is this present generation that must act to make it possible. And that is what we are doing today. We are paving the way for our generation and for future generations.
Local and regional authorities are agents for change because they have the knowledge about local and regional needs and are in pivotal positions to ensure that services provided are designed around the needs for the enhancement of the WELL BEING of their communities. Local and regional authorities are closest to the citizens and their communities and it is at grass-roots level that the principles of subsidiarity can be meaningfully applied.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour and a privilege for me to present to you the case of Malta, one of the smallest members of the Council of Europe, with regard to the elimination of violence against women. Local Councils in Malta are still in their infancy. Just 15 years of local government. We have made a great difference towards the well-being of our communities, but let me put things into perspective. Issues such as Domestic Violence are not within the remit of Local Councils. Nevertheless, Local Councils in Malta can still be agents for a change in culture, mentality and traditions which are oppressive for our communities.
Together with the Commission Against Domestic Violence which is a national body appointed by the Government, the Local Councils Association which represents the 68 Local Councils in Malta launched, in January 2008, a BUS SHELTER CAMPAIGN. The Campaign was based on the Council of Europe campaign on Eliminating Violence against Women including Domestic Violence. The campaign continued throughout the month of January throughout Malta and Gozo. Leaflets related to the Bus Shelter Campaign were sent to all Local Councils in Malta and Gozo to be distributed to the general public from their end.
The media was also targeted and we set the ball rolling to hit BIG TIME. Newspapers, radio and TV stations were all media that helped in passing on the message of REACHING OUT.
The BUS SHELTER CAMPAIGN MADE AN IMPACT.
Social workers working on Domestic violence cases had commented that the Bus Shelter Campaign had an impact in that the victims who came to seek help from the service during the campaign stated that they could identify themselves with the poster and that this was the final impetus for seeking help.
According to the statistics there was a 2% increase when comparing January and February of 2008 with 2007. Although one cannot be 100% sure that they are directly correlated, the increase is still there.
The same was done with the Malta White Ribbon Campaign and the material was distributed to the general public from their end.
The Local Councils Association also took part in a WALKATHON to raise funds for the shelter GHABEX which caters for victims of domestic violence. Apart from the public in general, participants in this walk also included MAYORS, DEPUTY MAYORS and COUNCILLORS as well as CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF LOCAL COUNCILS. The GHABEX Centre was set up in 2000 to provide emergency shelter to women and children. Its main aim is to provide women and their children with a safe place away from direct personal harm. The shelter caters for around 100 victims at any one time. Statistics in Malta show that the domestic violence unit deals with an average of 1000 cases of domestic violence a year. It is to be noted that these figures are just those of victims that come forward for help and it is not known how many suffer in SILENCE. It is also to be noted that cases of domestic violence increase at Christmas, Easter and during the summer holidays due to more drinking and partying and closer contact between families.
Malta is no exception, domestic violence exists, and Local Councils have a role to play.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let us dream to have a Europe with a more humane face. We must dream because when we dream we strive to make that dream reality. What we must not do is to dream on. Local and regional authorities should be the first promoters of ZERO TOLERANCE towards violence within families including children and the elderly.
However FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES are essential and let us start to target and promote GENDER BUDGETING at local, regional and national level.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let us dream that REACHING OUT becomes a reality. We are living in an era of globalisation where innovation and technology are high on each and every one’s agenda. The media, radio, TV and newspapers are important - but what about the web - the INTERNET?
Let me appeal to those of you present here today: go and spread the word to the almost 200 000 local and regional authorities represented at the Congress of the Council of Europe to invest - use the technology - the web ... so many youths, and others spend hours and hours chatting, using blogs and many other platforms on the Internet.
Spread the word so that Local and Regional Authorities too make use of technology as a tool for eliminating violence. If each and every local and regional authority dedicates at least half an hour a week, allowing people to come forward towards the web, this would also mean reaching out in a different way. This is indeed a dream which can become reality - a dream for a struggle for a better EUROPE for a better WORLD.
THANK YOU