16 Days of Activism Blog – Istanbul Convention & Petition
The Istanbul Convention or the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence is the most comprehensive legal framework that exists to tackle violence against women and girls.
This legal framework, the Istanbul Convention on Violence against Women is about making changes that have an impact. It will make violence against women and domestic violence the priorities they should be.
Every week an average of 2 women are killed by a partner or an ex-partner in the UK. In England and Wales at least 233 women are raped every day and 31% have experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16.
The Istanbul Convention sets minimum standards for governments to meet when tackling violence against women. On the 8th of June 2012 the UK government promised to get serious about ending violence against women. They promised a law and through that law they promised to:
- Prevent violence against women
- Protect women who are experiencing violence
- Prosecute the perpetrators of violence
The government signed the Convention in 2012 but we are still waiting for them to ratify it. Ratifying the convention will mean the government will have to bring its provisions into force through domestic policy and legislation. There have been other countries who have already ratified the Istanbul Convention, they are: Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey. We urge you to sign the petition and make our government hear our voices, so on the 16th of December the Government ratifies the Istanbul Convention.
You can sign the petition, share on social media and write to your MP to ask them to attend the upcoming parliamentary debate a Bill on the Istanbul Convention on the 16th December 2016.
Ratifying the Istanbul Convention will strengthen the protection of women escaping domestic violence and send a clear signal that the UK will not tolerate violence against women and girls.
#16DaysOfAction #ICChange #TogetherWeCan #IstanbulConvention
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