09/12/2021 Equality and Non-Discrimination
A video-conference aimed at mobilising political support for the Istanbul Convention, the landmark Council of Europe treaty setting out laws to combat domestic violence, is to take place on 13 December 2021.
The event, organised by the PACE “Women Free from Violence” Parliamentary Network and broadcast live on Facebook, will bring parliamentarians together with experts from the Council of Europe and the UN, as well as representatives of NGOs promoting women’s rights and supporting victims, to discuss how to counter recent attacks on the Convention, dispel misconceptions about it and promote its ratification.
The Convention, which entered into force in 2014, is regarded as the global standard in its field, setting out legal standards for protecting women against violence as well as measures to protect victims and prosecute perpetrators. It is currently in force in 35 countries, and has been signed by 10 more, as well as the European Union. In March 2021 Turkey, the first state to ratify the Convention, became the first and only country to withdraw from it.
Three panels will cover supporting implementation of the Convention, political action to counter attacks on it, and promoting co-operation between politicians and civil society to combat violence against women.
The meeting, which begins at 10 a.m. on Monday 13 December, will be broadcast live on the Facebook page of the "Women Free from Violence" Parliamentary Network. No registration is required.