EU equality ministers call for prevention, early detection and intervention of violence against women, but provide no concrete measures for women with disabilities

EU equality ministers call for prevention, early detection and intervention of violence against women, but provide no concrete measures for women with disabilities

In a meeting of the Council of the EU on 17 October 2025, employment and social policy ministers approved conclusions on violence against women and domestic violence, calling for:

• improved training of workers in relevant fields such as healthcare and social services
• measures to protect and support children affected by domestic violence
• better data collection on the prevalence and consequences of violence against women
• efforts to further engage men and boys in fostering gender equality
• inclusion of measures for prevention, early detection and intervention in the European Commission’s upcoming Gender Equality Strategy post-2025

However, it is notable that the Council’s conclusions do not propose any specific measures to prevent violence against women with disabilities. This constitutes a missed opportunity to call for exploring the specific vulnerabilities experienced by this group of women, which, according to the World Health Organisation (news release available here), experience specific risks and forms of abuse, and are under-represented in research on violence against women.

Council of the EU conclusions on violence against women and domestic violence available here.