On Tuesday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni highlighted the connection between illegal immigration and the rise in violence against women, emphasizing that Italy will continue its efforts to combat this phenomenon. The statement was made on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Meloni stressed that violence against women remains a serious problem that Italy has yet to solve, pointing out that all causes of this phenomenon must be addressed, according to Ansa.

“Illegal immigration has a significant impact on violence against women,” the Prime Minister said, adding that Italy is determined to persist in its efforts to curb it.

She also referred to cultural factors that may, she argued, contribute to gender-based violence, underscoring the need for greater efforts to combat them. “It is paradoxical that violence against women increases as women gain more space in society,” she stated, calling for reflection on the issue.

In a similar vein, on Monday, Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara stated that the rise in sexual violence in Italy is directly linked to illegal immigration.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Giulia Cecchettin Foundation, which is dedicated to the memory of a 22-year-old student murdered last year by her ex-partner, Valditara noted that “we cannot close our eyes to the reality” that the rise in sexual violence is tied to marginalization and social inequalities stemming from illegal immigration.

“We are far from solving the issue of hunger.”

However, despite her strong stance on immigration and its connection to gender-based violence, Meloni is not as optimistic about a solution to global hunger and poverty being found soon.

She also emphasized that ongoing global crises, such as the war in Ukraine and the Middle East conflict, make resolving these issues even more challenging.

“We are far from resolving the issues of hunger and poverty, given the ongoing crises, such as in Ukraine, where Russia has weaponized wheat, as well as in the Middle East,” the Italian Prime Minister stated.