“Today we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Today is a reminder of our responsibility to answer the call to action. It is a moment to act and to honour all the women and girls who have lost their lives, those who survived and all those who continue to suffer, too often in silence”. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, said this as she opened the plenary session in Strasbourg dedicated to the theme of the International Day. “Today we recommit to this House’s proud role in standing up for women, everywhere. This week, our Parliament glows in orange. I see many of you have worn the colour today… A light for every woman and girl who has suffered. A promise to every woman and girl who deserves safety, dignity and a life free from fear. We owe women change”. Metsola went on to add: “I am proud of the steps that this House has taken. We have pushed through legislation criminalising more forms of gender-based abuse, both on- and offline. And now it must be implemented. And together, we can go even further. In Europe, the numbers are shocking. 30% of women have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence. This is unacceptable. We must do more. We must do more for every Giulia, for every Paulina, for every Bernice, for every Ashling who were killed because they were women. We must also do more for every survivor like every Gisèle in France and Ana Bella in Spain, who stood tall and dared to shatter the silence. We must do more for every woman”.