Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna: We are working actively to eliminate violence against women worldwide
Wednesday, 26.11.2025, 15:34 / SEISUKOHAD / RSS
Today, 25 November, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, this day helps draw attention to one of the most widespread forms of human rights violations – psychological, physical and sexual violence against women and girls. To mark the day, the facade of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building will be illuminated orange this evening, symbolizing the global fight against violence against women.
“Violence against women is prevalent everywhere – regardless of borders, cultural context, class or social status – and manifests both in the physical world and in the digital environment,” the Minister emphasised. “One in three women in Europe has experienced either physical or sexual violence during her lifetime, and one in five has suffered domestic violence.”
The Minister noted that crimes against women increase particularly during armed conflicts. “Russia has, among other things, targeted Ukrainian women and children, committing grave human rights violations ranging from killings and sexual crimes to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Our task is to ensure that all crimes committed by Russia are duly punished and that all Ukrainian children are brought back home.”
Combating violence against women and promoting gender equality are among the central goals of Estonia’s human rights diplomacy. “On the international stage, we strive to draw further attention to issues concerning women’s rights and wellbeing, and we build bridges between global partners and civil society to find lasting solutions and develop systems that protect women’s rights,” Tsahkna said. “We also continue to support international mechanisms that advance the rights of women and children, including the work of UN Women and the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, which plays a vital role in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in Europe.”
Estonia has consistently stood up for women’s rights both during its co-chairmanship of the Media Freedom Coalition (July 2023 – July 2025), which focused among other things on the situation of female journalists, and during its current chairmanship of the Freedom Online Coalition, where one of the priority topics is women’s rights in the digital sphere. Promoting and protecting the rights of women and children, including in the digital environment, is also one of Estonia’s priorities during its membership of the UN Human Rights Council in 2026–2028.
In the elections to be held in New York in June 2026, former member of the Estonian Parliament and the European Parliament Marianne Mikko will stand as the joint candidate of the eight Nordic-Baltic (NB8) countries for membership of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) for the period 2027–2030. Mikko has already been a member of CEDAW since 2023 and will serve as Vice-Chair for two years (2025–2026).
“My goal is to ensure women’s economic independence, eliminate the gender pay gap and defend the principle that the rights fought for by women are respected in real life,” Mikko said. “I believe that cooperation with member state governments and civil society, as well as the development of global networks, is essential to protect women’s rights even more effectively.”