THE LEGAL AND POLITICAL FRAMEWORK TO PREVENT AND COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: A GLOBAL APPROACH

This study begins with the analysis of the problem and prevalence of violence against women in Europe and its economic and social costs. It examines, secondly, the legal and political framework for preventing and combating violence against women in the European Union law, resulting from both relevant rules of primary law and the provisions of legislative instruments, as well as those contained in soft law procedures. This study continues highlighting briefly the European external action alignment with Sustainable Development Objective No. 5, on gender equality and women's empowerment. In the last place, the study further emphasizes that the European Union's accession to the 2011 Istanbul Convention will provide a more effective and coherent normative framework to fight against gender-based violence in the context of its internal and external action.