Europe Week/ EU Ambassador Silvio Gonzato has a message about gender-based violence

While participating in an activity within the Europe Week, the EU ambassador in Tirana, Silvio Gonzato stopped to talk about the importance of gender equality.

Gonzato said that the issue of gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence is part of everything we have to fight for.

He emphasized that there are still gaps that exist in terms of gender equality even at the highest levels, while he added that the EU is fighting to change these trends within Europe and not only in the Western Balkans.

"The issue of gender equality and the fight against gender-based violence is part of everything we have to fight for. There are gaps that exist in terms of gender equality even at high levels, or there are stereotypes. The EU is fighting hard to fight this trend within the EU, I'm not just talking about the situation in the Western Balkans. We have taken steps, but legislation alone is not enough.

On May 7, the EU approved the first law on violence against women, which is actually an evolutionary step for . This directive requires member states to criminalize the forced marriage of women and their genital mutilation. These are things that also happen in the EU. We have a whole body of legislation in the EU that brings its own impact on these gender equality issues. But this also has to do with changing the mindset, so we also have a number of projects to support women in leadership, business, etc.," said Gonzato, among other things.