Latvia's Withdrawal from Istanbul Convention Sparks Concern

Strategic Insights -

The Latvian parliament's decision to withdraw from the Council of Europe convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention, has sparked widespread concern. Amnesty International's Senior Campaigner on Women's Rights, Monica Costa Riba, warned that this move would be a devastating blow to the protection and rights of women and girls in Latvia, sending a reckless and dangerous message to perpetrators that they can abuse and kill with impunity. The President of Latvia has been urged to veto the bill and advance measures to ensure the Convention's full implementation to protect women and girls from gender-based and domestic violence.

Key Takeaways:

  • Latvia's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention would be a devastating blow to the protection and rights of women and girls in the country.
  • The Convention sets out minimum standards on prevention, protection, prosecution, and the development of integrated policies to counter violence against women and domestic violence.
  • The Istanbul Convention has been signed (45) and ratified (39) by a vast majority of Council of Europe Member States.
  • Latvia's withdrawal would make it the second country to leave the Convention, following T？rkiye's widely condemned exit in 2021.
  • The President of Latvia has the power to veto the bill and prevent the country's withdrawal from the Convention.
  • Amnesty International is urging the President to use his veto to advance measures to ensure the Convention's full implementation and protect women and girls from gender-based and domestic violence.
  • Powerful anti-rights groups have been spreading disinformation about the Istanbul Convention, demonizing gender equality, women's, and LGBTI people's rights.

Statistics:

  • Only 6 countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia) have yet to join the Istanbul Convention.
  • 45 countries have signed the Convention, while 39 have ratified it.
  • The European Union ratified the Istanbul Convention on 28 June 2023.
  • T？rkiye's withdrawal from the Convention in 2021 was widely condemned.
  • The Istanbul Convention entered into force in Latvia in May 2024, following its ratification in November 2023.
  • The Convention sets out minimum standards on preventing, protecting, prosecuting, and developing policies to counter violence against women and domestic violence.

Sources:

  • Amnesty International
  • Council of Europe
  • European Union