Judith Kirton-Darling, industriAll Europe Deputy General Secretary: 

“Just as Europe has been confronted with growing rates of domestic violence during the pandemic, Turkey decides to disband the Istanbul convention which is directly focused on protecting women and girls from violence. This is unbelievable and unacceptable.”

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) is the first binding instrument to fight and prevent all forms of violence against women and girls. Last week, the Turkish President announced his country’s withdrawal from this convention.

IndustriAll Europe calls on the Turkish government to reverse its decision and stands in solidarity with all Turkish women in the fight for their rights and against violence.

Moreover, we urge all the other European countries that have not ratified the Convention yet, namely Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia and the UK, to immediately ratify the Convention and to put adequate measures in place that protect women and girls from surging domestic and gender-based violence. Turkey’s decision must not be used as a cover for other countries to withdraw from this vital framework of rights.

Contact: Andrea Husen-Bradley (press and communication), Maike Niggemann (policy adviser)