General
Turkey withdraws from European treaty protecting women from gender-based violence
Turkey has withdrawn from a landmark European treaty protecting women from violence.
Key points:
- The Istanbul Convention obliges state authorities to take steps to prevent gender-based violence
- Some officials argue the treaty encourages divorce and undermines the traditional family
- They say it is contrary to the country’s conservative values
The county was the first to sign the Istanbul Convention treaty, named after its largest city, a decade ago.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s decree annulling Turkey’s ratification of the treaty is a blow to women’s rights advocates, who say the agreement is crucial to combating domestic violence.
The Council of Europe’s Secretary-General, Marija Pejčinović Burić, called the decision “devastating”.
Continue Reading