13 years of conferences, a collective story.

Every year since 2010, the City of Strasbourg and its Mission for Women's Rights and Gender Equality have organized a conference dedicated to the fight against violence towards women. This event, co-constructed with local associations, has helped to weave a genuine network of partners and to reflect on issues of national significance.

The City of Strasbourg committed to women's rights.

Since 2008, Strasbourg has established itself as a pioneering city in the fight against violence against women, notably through the creation of a plenary commission bringing together around forty local associations, including the Women's and Families' Rights Information Center (CIDFF), SOS Femmes Solidarité 67, the Mouvement du Nid, Planning Familial 67, and La Cimade.

We were at a pivotal moment where public authorities were beginning to truly address the issue.

Geneviève Louisadat, President of SOS Femmes Solidarité 67

Since 1994, domestic violence has been considered a crime, but it was in 2010 that legislation truly improved the treatment of victims by adopting a protection order. This law aimed to protect victims of domestic violence by granting them judicial protection measures and assisting them in their journey to escape violence.

It was in this context that the city of Strasbourg decided to organize the first edition of the conference, continuing its commitment to combating violence against women with the ambition of bringing visibility to a daily issue that remains invisible.

In public spaces, domestic violence was only represented by statistics. That is why we chose to adopt a feminist approach to addressing violence, so as not to neutralize this issue, as violence against women stems from gender inequality, and the statistics show that women are the most affected.

Anna Matteoli, Director of the CIDFF (Centre d'Information sur les Droits des Femmes et des Familles).

The conference: an essential annual event

Organized as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25, this conference quickly became a key event on the Strasbourg calendar, gathering over 1,000 participants each year.

Recognized nationally and seen as an essential training opportunity for community agents, it is the result of reflections carried out by the members of the "Gender Equality" plenary commission, led by the elected official in charge of women's rights and gender equality, Christelle Wieder.

It aims to enable participants to meet local associations and to better understand the mechanisms that lead to the violence women experience, as well as the support, care, and referral systems available.

A look back at previous editions.

2023 - Women’s Health: Rebuilding
2022 - Pornography
2021 - Women’s Rights in Times of Crisis
2019 - Fighting Violence Against Women: Failures, Victories, and Dreams
2018 - Women’s Bodies: From Norm to Resistance
2017 - Violence Against Women: Understanding and Committing
2016 - Sexual Violence Against Women: A Still Taboo Reality
2015 - My Body Belongs to Me: From Control to Empowerment
2014 - Vulnerabilities at the Heart of Violence Against Women
2013 - Unveiling What is Rendered Invisible
2012 - Education: A Determining Factor in the Construction of Gender Inequalities and Gender-Based and Sexual Violence?
2011 - From Sexism to Sexual Violence: Causes, Consequences, and Methods of Action
2010 - Violence Against Women: Understanding, Preventing, Supporting