Hague DV Forum – in praise of the sisterhood.

An historic Forum on Domestic Violence and the Operation of Article 13(1)(b) was held in South Africa last month (18-21 June 2024). We believe and hope that this unprecedented event will mark a turning point in the implementation of the Convention. Our sincere thanks to Secretary-General Christophe Bernasconi and his colleagues at the HCCH for organising the Forum, and for enabling mothers’ voices to be heard for the first time. It was powerful and profoundly moving.

The whole event was also an inspiring example of the global sisterhood in action.

Fifteen FiLiA Hague Mothers (FHM) members, advisors and partners attended in person, the majority of them as presenters and panel members; others presented online; many contributed to our expert papers that were circulated to attendees; Hague mothers shared their stories; volunteers and staff from FHM, GlobalARRK and Revibra live-tweeted key sessions; online attendees submitted questions and amplified our social media accounts. Every one of you helped to make a difference.

In his opening address, Secretary-General Bernasconi offered the hope that the Forum was ‘just a beginning’. The Brazilian Government’s offer to host a follow-up Forum in 2025 has made that hope a reality. In the interim, and with your help, we will continue to do all we can to raise awareness of the injustices caused by the Convention in cases of domestic violence and to advocate for those affected. 

When we formally launched FiLiA Hague Mothers in 2022, we set out to ‘build an international movement for justice’. That international movement came together in South Africa last month. Thank you to every single one of you who made that possible. Together we will make change happen.