The latest report on women’s rights in Monaco has just been released, detailing advances made in the Principality last year including the tabling of a new bill to strengthen legislation for crimes of sexual violence.
The Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights has just published its second annual activity report, retracing the work carried out in 2020 by various Monegasque institutions, state services and associations working for women’s rights.
In her analysis, Chairman of the Committee Laurent Anselmi emphasised that “promoting and protecting the rights of women has never had such an echo as in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Prince’s Government has always had a heart to strengthen their rights.”
Despite a difficult year due to coronavirus, the reported noted that 2020 was marked by many actions and new advances including an increase in training for professionals on how to receive victims of violence, as well as a wider understanding of the situation in Monaco thanks to the publication of the first IMSEE study on violence against women.
Importantly, from a legislation perspective, 2020 saw the tabling of bill n°1027 by the National Council, reforming the provisions relating to sex crimes. It aims to redefine certain offences such as public indecency and indecent assault to be punishable as sexual exhibition and sexual assault. It also redefines rape and sexual assault to acknowledge lack of consent, and introduces sexual blackmail outside of the workplace as a criminal offence. This bill was put forward on 24^th November 2020.
Monaco’s prevention strategy was also acknowledged, including the dissemination of information relating to aid and emergency programmes, as well as awareness-raising with communication campaigns on 8th March (International Women’s Day) and 25^th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women).
It is progress that will be followed up by Monaco’s Inter-ministerial Delegate for Women’s Rights, Céline Cottalorda, who assured that “The work of the committee will continue in 2021 in this same state of mind requiring adaptation but also conviction and perseverance.”
Priorities for 2021 were identified as a new communication campaign on equality to raise awareness of stereotypes and to help change mentalities; equality in education in partnership with the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports; and the creation of a “network of women opinion leaders”.
 
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