Taking steps to build a coalition in support of its campaign to globalise the Istanbul Convention, Liberal International has joined forces with the National Democratic Institute (NDI – LI cooperating organisation) to end violence against women in politics. LI President Dr. Juli Minoves made the announcement during his speech at the NDI’s #NotTheCost Conference, which took place in New York City in the margin of the 60th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
As liberals our message has always been clear: all violence against women must stop. We at Liberal International wholeheartedly join the #NotTheCost campaign and see it as a natural extension of our own campaign to extend the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women beyond the borders of Europe
, said the LI president.
LI Human Rights Committee member and International Network of Liberal Women (INLW) Vice President, Khadija El Morabit, shared her experiences as a female liberal politician from Morocco and discussed LI’s Istanbul Convention campaign, urging ratification by the member states of the Council of Europe.
The closing remarks were delivered by the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Liberal Party of Canada – LI full member), Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, who highlighted Canada’s commitment to serve as the world’s leader in gender equality.
– LI President, Dr. Juli Minoves, extrends a warm greeting to Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Canada’s Liberal Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau
In a bilateral meeting with NDI Chairwoman and former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, Dr. Minoves committed Liberal International to support NDI’s work and to lead global efforts in the promotion and advancement of women’s rights.
The liberal delegation to UNCSW, consisting of the LI President, Board members of the International Network of Liberal Women Khadija El Morabit (Morocco)), Maysing Yang (Taiwan) and Lysbeth Valkenburg-Lely(Netherlands) as well as the Head of LI’s Human Rights Programme Tamara Dancheva, met with the Icelandic Ambassador to the United Nations Einar Gunnarsson. The meeting focused on concrete actions LI and INLW can undertake to support the efforts of the Icelandic liberal government to promote the objectives of the Icelandic initiative, the Barbershop conference – to rally male leaders to support women’s rights.
LI’s active participation at the NDI conference was preceded by a side event discussion organised by LI, INLW and UN Watch on ending violence against women which saw the participation of Khadija El Morabit and Chair of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD – LI cooperating organisation) Women’s Caucus, Mu Sochua.
