The CDP facade turns red for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to remember that, around the world, every hour five women are killed by a family member and one in three experiences an act of violence at least once in their lifetime. If we look at Italy, there have already been over 100 victims of femicide since the beginning of 2023.
Violence against women and girls represents one of the most widespread and too often unreported human rights violations; it can occur in various ways, like physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence.
To draw attention to this concerning and constantly growing phenomenon, 25 November has been designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, established in 1999 by the United Nations in memory of sisters Patria, Minerva and María Teresa Mirabal, political activists in the Dominican Republic who were killed on the orders of dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in 1960.
The CDP Group’s path towards diversity, equity and inclusion
Gender-based violence is prevented first and foremost by promoting a culture of respect and equal opportunities.
The CDP Group intends to exemplify this change, and has therefore undertaken a path of putting people and their rights at the centre, with a series of measures directed towards creating a respectful, equitable and inclusive working environment.
The path started from the approval of the first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Policy, recently updated with reinforced measures for monitoring violations and the use of inclusive language.
The DEI Helpdesk has been created, a digital platform for colleagues, a safe space for initiating dialogue, being heard and preventing inappropriate conduct and building a culture together.
The latest supplementary contract also envisages leave for victims of violence, who can request paid leave of absence of up to 12 months.
To promote gender equality, CDP is committed to reducing the pay gap and has initiated the process to obtain Gender Equality Certification, introduced as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and issued to organisations that achieve specific inclusion targets.
There are also many training and discussion initiatives including internal awareness-raising events, courses on inclusive behaviours and language and the first call for ideas to encourage new DEI proposals to surface, all directed towards promoting a respect-based culture.
Action carried out in synergy with Fondazione CDP and Associazione Donne Gruppo CDP (CDP Group Women’s Association).
Fondazione CDP has since 2022 been a partner, together with ActionAid Italia Onlus, of the SWEET (Supporting Women in Emergency with Environments of Trust) Programme, which to date has already supported approximately 400 women and children fleeing from war zones in Ukraine, offering a path of social and work reintegration through listening and orientation desks in Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata, Campania and Lombardy. The success of the Programme has led to new actions being developed that will involve more women and migrants in southern Italy in 2023.
Associazione Donne too has promoted various initiatives around this day. These include the following: self-defence courses, an event with experts to exchange stories and accounts in order to prevent, recognise and tackle gender-based violence and volunteer activities to support the Salvamamme association, which supports mothers and families in serious socio-economic conditions.
Violence and stalking measures
We would remind you that the freephone violence and stalking number 1522 is active 24 hours a day every day and that there is a network of anti-violence centres throughout the country, designed to be safe, supportive refuges to assist the victims themselves, but also the minors connected with them, in rebuilding their lives. Finally, it’s important to know the signal for help: a bent thumb with fingers raised – like a four – closing into a fist and reopening, conceived as a tool to fight the increase in cases of domestic violence that occurred worldwide during the lockdown imposed by the pandemic. Data source: United Nations and Italian Ministry of the Interior