Every woman and girl has the right to live free from violence. Yet violence against women remains a serious human rights violation across Europe, often rooted in gender inequality, harmful stereotypes, and unequal power relations.
Prevention must begin before violence occurs. This is the central message of our READ THE SIGNS campaign: Soroptimists Focus on Prevention.
The Istanbul Convention provides a comprehensive framework for preventing and combating violence against women. Its prevention pillar emphasises awareness-raising, education and professional training. Importantly, the Convention explicitly recognises the role of civil society and encourages cooperation with non-governmental organisations.
For Soroptimists, contributing to prevention is therefore not simply an opportunity. It is our responsibility.
From commitments to local action
- Awareness-raising: Recognise and challenge stereotypes
Harmful gender stereotypes reinforce inequality, can normalise controlling behaviour and make early warning signs harder to recognise. They are often hidden in everyday language and public attitudes.
Consider familiar expressions:
- “She should have left him earlier” shifts responsibility towards the victim.
- “He was jealous because he loved her” presents controlling behaviour as affection.
- Describing domestic violence as “a family argument” minimises its seriousness.
How can Soroptimist Clubs challenge these attitudes?
Engage with local media. Invite journalists and editors to discuss how violence against women is reported. Examine headlines and articles. Does the language unintentionally blame victims or excuse perpetrators? How do journalists themselves view stereotypes? Could the discussion lead to recommendations for more responsible reporting?
Start conversations in the community. Organise discussions with young people, community organisations or employers. Identify common stereotypes, examine their consequences and explore ways of challenging them.
Advocate for change. Ask local authorities what they are doing to address harmful gender stereotypes and promote prevention. Identify gaps, propose specific improvements and follow up on commitments.
Imagine clubs across Europe examining stereotypes in their own communities, initiating similar conversations and sharing their findings. Unions could identify recurring patterns and develop common recommendations for national decision-makers.
This could become a sustained, Europe-wide Soroptimist initiative – extending far beyond the 16 Days of Activism.
- Education: Challenge stereotypes early
The Istanbul Convention calls for education promoting equality, non-stereotyped gender roles, mutual respect and non-violent conflict resolution.
Clubs can ask schools and educational authorities how these principles are implemented, whether teachers receive appropriate support and where improvements are needed.
- Professional training: Recognise and respond
Healthcare professionals, educators, police officers and social services personnel must be equipped to recognise violence and respond appropriately.
Clubs can ask which training programmes exist, whether they are regularly updated and how their effectiveness is assessed. Where gaps are identified, clubs can advocate for improvements.
Advocacy in action: From local initiatives to national change
Awareness-raising is an important first step, but effective advocacy goes further. It identifies a specific problem, addresses those who can make a difference and follows up on the results.
Some Soroptimist Unions have already prepared a petition concerning Article 31 of the Istanbul Convention, addressing custody, visitation rights and the safety of women and children affected by violence. The petition is intended to be submitted through national channels.
This is one example of how Soroptimists can translate the Convention’s provisions into concrete advocacy initiatives.
Our Istanbul Convention Promoters: A valuable resource
Every Union has at least one Istanbul Convention Promoter who has been working intensively on this subject.
These Promoters can provide clubs with further information about the Convention, practical guidance and additional opportunities to engage in prevention. They can also provide information about the Article 31 petition and related advocacy activities.
Clubs are encouraged to draw on this expertise when planning their own initiatives.
Prevention is our ongoing responsibility
The 16 Days of Activism provide an important opportunity to raise visibility. But prevention cannot be limited to 16 days. Clubs can continue the dialogue with local authorities, follow up on commitments throughout the year.
Soroptimists Focus on Prevention – throughout the year.
Through READ THE SIGNS, clubs and Unions can challenge harmful attitudes, advocate for effective preventive measures and help close the gap between the commitments of the Istanbul Convention and everyday reality.
READ THE SIGNS. Challenge stereotypes. Demand prevention.