Minister Fajon on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: United for peace and security

SLOVENIA, November 25 - This was announced by the Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Minister Fajon supported the UN campaign to end violence against women, which this year focuses on one of the fastest-growing and most widespread forms of abuse – online violence. She stressed: "Recognising and responding effectively to these new and rapidly growing forms of violence in the digital space, including harassment, insults, intimidation, hate speech, privacy violations, etc., is essential to prevent escalation that can lead to physical violence, including femicide. Empowering women and girls to participate freely and safely in digital spaces is not just a matter of fairness – it is essential to achieving equality, democracy and sustainable development for all.

The Slovenian Foreign Minister added that these negative phenomena, especially the defamation of women in public positions, discourage young women from participating in public life and politics. "Since there are so few of us, we must set a good example, especially for young people, in order to strengthen trust in politics and encourage women to take on leadership positions. Regardless of our different political affiliations, we female politicians must support each other and unite in addressing demanding challenges, act in a decent, respectful and empathetic manner while maintaining and strengthening standards in politics, in particular insisting on the basic principles of respectful interpersonal relations and humanity."

Gender equality is a priority of Slovenian foreign policy, which focuses on human rights, development cooperation and humanitarian aid. Within the international community, Slovenia places particular emphasis on the need to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and violence against them, and to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, women's education (including human rights education), women's participation, including in social processes, and the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality. Within international forums, such as the UN Human Rights Council, the UN General Assembly, the Commission on the Status of Women, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, Slovenia advocates against violence towards women and girls and supports their equal participation in all areas of public and social life, including in decision-making processes.

In the UN General Assembly, Slovenia, together with Spain and Mexico, leads the "Rotation for Equality" initiative, aiming for equal gender representation in leadership positions within the UN. As a current member of the Security Council, Slovenia emphasises the importance of the full, equal, meaningful and secure participation of women in conflict prevention and resolution processes and in efforts to achieve lasting peace. It strives to find ways to make the UN Security Council's response to conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence more effective and to ensure accountability for such violence. Gender issues and the rights of women and girls are a priority for Slovenia's membership of the Human Rights Council, which begins next year.

Its projects contribute to preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Kenya, Lebanon, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda. It also supports the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls through contributions to international organisations, agencies and funds, such as UN Women, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, the Peace and Humanitarian Fund for Women, the International Committee of the Red Cross and others. The prevention of conflict-related sexual violence and gender-based violence is also included in the recently adopted third Action Plan of the Republic of Slovenia for Women, Peace and Security.

At the beginning of this year, Minister Fajon and her colleagues participated in the official establishment of the Group of Women Foreign Ministers, which was founded on the initiative of the foreign ministers of Canada and Jamaica with a view to leveraging the unique perspectives and experiences of women in leadership positions, particularly in foreign policy, and strengthening their role.