Nordic countries are considered the most advanced in terms of gender equality and are taken as an example. At the same time, they present alarming high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. This contradiction is the so-called “Nordic Paradox”.
Although it is long overdue and at the expense of too many lost lives, intimate partner violence is for the first time at the center of national public debate in Portugal. The upcoming EU elections offer an opportunity to demand political commitment and prioritisation of women’s protection from male violence at a national and European level.
As the erosion of women’s rights continues in a number of Member States, electing feminist MEPs for the next European Parliament term is crucial. The backlash on women’s rights in Italy demonstrates why.
