On 12 December 2022, a “Forum on Policies and Actions to Combat Violence against Women” was held in Sofia, organized by the Bulgarian Platform to the European Women’s Lobby and the Bulgarian Fund for Women. The forum brought together more than 100 people, representatives of political parties, European and Bulgarian institutions, including the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassadors and experts from civil society who work on the frontline in the fight against violence against women. Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria Iliana Iotova took part in the event and expressed her strong position against violence against women. Members of the 48th National Assembly also spoke in favour of the rapid adoption of the amendments to the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence. The legislative amendments could be adopted within a month, said Ilina Mutafchieva (“Democratic Bulgaria”, DB), Kalina Konstantinova (“We Continue the Change”, PP), Hristo Terziyski (GERB-SSD), Tsvetan Enchev (MRF) and Yavor Bojankov.
Violence against women and domestic violence is an extremely serious problem that affects our entire society and yet it continues to be neglected. Data from European institutions show that violence against women costs Bulgaria more than 6.8 billion euros a year (EIGE).
The event was part of the project “Civil society communication and advocacy campaigns on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence using a joint methodology developed by the Council of Europe, WAVE Network and UN Women”, implemented by the Bulgarian Platform to the European Women’s Lobby.
