Report from the World Conference of Women’s Shelters in the Netherlands

At the request of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS), the Foundation of Women’s Shelters in the Netherlands and its partners organised from 3-6 November 2015 in Conference Center World Forum in The Hague, the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters.
I was privileged to attend such an event where women and men, all around the world came to share their experiences and ideas with the ultimate objective of achieving an international approach to the prevention of violence against women and children. In total around a thousand people from over a hundred countries took part in the conference in The Hague.
The event was even more interesting and attractive by the presence of Her Majesty Queen Máxima. On the morning of November 4, 2015, Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands held a keynote speech under the theme, Economic Independence of Women Survivors focused on the economic independence for women who face domestic violence which is the basis for building a new and independent life.
After the plenary session, Queen Máxima attended part of the ‘Effective social and economic reintegration of women survivors’ workshop.
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark also attended the conference on Thursday, the 5^th of November. The crown princess gave a keynote speech during the plenary session entitled, Continents: What is Going On? Strengthening Global and Regional Networks.  Through The Mary Foundation she works to help women and children who are victims of violence.