CEMR urges multi-level coordination, victim support, and recognition of women politicians’ safety
Violence against women and domestic violence remain among the most widespread violations of fundamental rights in Europe. In response to the European Commission’s proposed Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) has published a position paper calling for a unified and multi-level approach to ensure effective implementation across the EU.
CEMR welcomes key elements of the Directive, including provisions on safeguarding victims, training professionals, tackling harmful gender stereotypes, and addressing sexual harassment at work. However, the organisation stresses that the Directive must go further to recognise the central role of local and regional governments (LRGs), who are on the frontline of prevention, victim support, and access to justice.
Among its recommendations, CEMR calls for:
- Formal consultation with LRGs in policy design and coordination, ensuring that Article 39 on multi-level response explicitly requires their involvement.
- Targeted EU funding for local authorities through programmes such as CERV, ERDF and ESF+, to strengthen prevention, awareness-raising and victim services.
- Better data collection, disaggregated by sex, age and region (NUTS 2, NUTS 3, and local level), to tailor policies effectively.
- Improved victim support systems, combining both “one-stop” online access and physical centres, with minimum geographic coverage standards.
The paper also highlights violence against women in politics, noting that harassment and threats against elected representatives undermine democracy itself. CEMR urges the addition of a specific clause under Article 13 on aggravating circumstances for violence against women in public office.
Finally, CEMR emphasises the importance of prevention, beginning with early education to challenge gender stereotypes, and extending to workplaces where women in public-facing professions are disproportionately exposed to third-party violence. The organisation recommends a dedicated article on cooperation between LRGs and social partners to strengthen workplace protections.
By adopting a truly coordinated, multi-level approach, the Directive could transform Europe’s fragmented response into a coherent framework that empowers governments at every level to protect women’s rights and safety.
For more information, contact:
Gender, Diversity and Migration Officer
