Module 4
Parliamentary Responses (I): Promoting the Istanbul Convention
Learning objectives By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Identify the different ways in which parliamentarians can contribute to preventing and combating violence
against women and domestic violence.
- Explain the role of the Istanbul Convention as the leadinginternational framework for addressing gender-based violence, including its focus on the “4 Ps”: prevention, protection,
prosecution and co-ordinated policies.
- Recognise how political backlash and disinformation can affect debates on the Istanbul Convention, including the narratives and actors involved.
- Apply strategies for promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention and responding effectivelyto disinformation, while keeping the focus on protecting women from gender-based violence.
Learning objectives
What difference can parliamentarians make? Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence is often seen as the responsibility of courts, police, prosecutors, and specialist services. Yet the Istanbul Convention makes clear that parliaments play a decisive role at every stage, from law-making and oversight to budget allocation and public leadership. In this short interview, Zita Gurmai, member of the National Assembly of Hungary and of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) (2022–2026), speaks about the different ways in which MPs can
drive change.
The next four modules build on these insights and zoom in on each of these
roles in turn.
What difference can parliamentarians make?
Understanding the Istanbul Convention A ground-breaking treaty We saw in the previous module that the Istanbul Convention is a ground-breaking, legally binding international treaty designed to eradicate violence against women and domestic violence. It provides States with a comprehensive framework of policies and measures based on recognised best practice.
European roots, global reach and ambition The Istanbul Convention was created in Europe, but its ambition is global. It was drafted on the understanding that violence against women is not confined to any region,
and that effective solutions should be transferable across borders.
‘The Istanbul Convention: progress and challenges’, Explanatory memorandum by Ms Zita Gurmai, rapporteur for the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, Doc. 15673 of 5 January 2023, § 5.
“The Istanbul Convention remains the most innovative and groundbreaking international legal instrument which sets out the right of women to live free from violence as a human right.” – PACE Report The Istanbul Convention: progress and challenges (2019)
Any State can accede to the Istanbul Convention or use it as a blueprint for national or regional legislation and policies.
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Purpose and scope: the Istanbul Convention’s “4 Ps” The purpose of the Istanbul Convention is to end violence against women and domestic violence and to safeguard the fundamental right of women to live free from violence. As we saw in Module 3, the convention covers all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, which affects women disproportionately. The Istanbul Convention is built around four interconnected pillars, often referred to as the “4 Ps”.
PROTECTION
PREVENTION
CO-ORDINATEDPOLICIES
PROSECUTION
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Whom does the convention protect? Women are the primary beneficiaries of the Istanbul Convention. This is because the convention addresses forms of violence that are experienced by women because they are (perceived as) women — such as female genital mutilation or forced abortion — or that women are disproportionately exposed to in comparison with men, including domestic violence, forced marriage, forced sterilisation, rape and other forms of sexual violence, sexual harassment and stalking. The convention recognises that these forms of violence can also affect otherpersons, including men and boys as well as non-binary persons, particularly in
the context of domestic violence. States are therefore encouraged to extend the application of the convention to everyone at risk of or affected by domestic violence, including male, child and older persons, while maintaining its core focus on addressing violence against
women as a form of discrimination and a human rights violation.
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Intersectional vulnerability While the Istanbul Convention recognises violence against women as a form of discrimination, it also makes clear that not all women face the same risks or barriers to protection. Some women are exposed to heightened or compounded forms of violence because of intersecting factors such as age, migration status, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. These intersecting vulnerabilities often remain insufficiently recognised in law, policy and service provision. In this interview, the Parliamentary Assembly’s former General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTI persons, Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo, reflects on why lesbian, bisexual and queer women, as well as trans women, face particular risks of gender-based violence, and what parliamentarians can do to ensure
that protection under the Istanbul Convention is genuinely inclusive.
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention Why ratification matters Ratifying the Istanbul Convention is a parliamentary decision with legal and political consequences. It confirms a state’s commitment to preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, protecting victims and holding perpetrators accountable. Across Europe, parliamentary debates on ratification have shown that the process can be
politically sensitive. It requires leadership,
sustained engagement and a willingness to
confront resistance.
Visual: large image of a parliamentary chamber during a vote (with visible voting panels or results)
Ratification requires parliamentary approval and often triggers reforms in criminal law, victim protection systems and public policies. Some countries may need to align their national legislation with convention standards prior to ratification.
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention
Why ratification can be difficult Today, the Istanbul Convention has been ratified by a vast majority of Council of Europe member States. Yet in a small number of countries, ratification has been delayed or contested. Delays arise for different reasons. They may reflect the time needed for legal mapping and legislative alignment, concerns about implementation capacity, or broader political tensions. In recent years,
disinformation has increasingly contributed to slowing or blocking progress. Parliaments themselves can become arenas where instrumentalisation of the Istanbul Convention occurs. In some cases, opposition to ratification has been driven by coordinated disinformation campaigns, short-term political positioning, or narratives promoted by anti-gender and ultraconservative movements thatchallenge women’s human rights and strategically misrepresent the Convention’s aims and content. This places a particular responsibility on parliamentarians to engage
critically and responsibly.
Parliamentary debates often revolve less around legal substance and more around false information about the convention’s aims, despite its clear focus on preventing gender-based violence and protecting victims.
When misinformation goes unchallenged in parliamentary debate, it can gain legitimacy and shape public perception.
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention
The role of parliamentarians in building informed and inclusive debates Good practice regarding parliamentary debates on ratification of the Istanbul Convention include hearings, expert testimony and dialogue with civil society, all of which help clarify what the convention requires and how it would apply nationally. This an inclusive approach promotes transparency and allows for countering
false narratives with reliable evidence. Parliamentarians can moreover question governments, scrutinise the compatibility of national laws with Istanbul Convention requirements, bring facts into public debate and ensure that survivors’ experiences are heard.
They also play a key role in framing ratification as part of a shared European effort to combat violence, rather than as an isolated national controversy.
Engaging ministries, judges and prosecutors, law enforcement, social services and women’s organisations strengthens the quality of parliamentary decision-making.
In parliamentary debates on ratification, it can be helpful to point to concrete achievements made in other countries thanks to the Istanbul Convention. The Council of Europe has published useful resources that highlight the positive impact of the Istanbul Convention whilst countering common misconceptions.
- Videos on the Impact of the Istanbul Convention in States Parties, available from the multimedia portal of the Council of Europe’s webpages on the Istanbul Convention.
- Factsheet “Why do we need the Istanbul Convention? Common Myths and Misconceptions”
- Brochure “The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention): Questions and Answers”
- Brochure “A global tool to prevent and combat violence against women and girls”
- Infographic “Journey of a domestic violence survivor to access support services WITH the support of the Istanbul Convention and WITHOUT the support of the Istanbul Convention”
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention
From debate to decision: lessons from national
parliaments The following examples show how parliaments have navigated resistance, mobilised support and defended the Istanbul Convention — before ratification, during decisive votes, and after entry into force.
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
Czechia: when ratification fails In January 2024, the Senate of Czechia narrowly rejected a motion to ratify the Istanbul Convention. The vote followed an intense debate and an emotional plea by the President of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, in support of ratification. In interviews after the vote, the Senate President offered a rare self-critical
assessment of what had gone wrong.
His reflections provide valuable lessons
for parliamentarians facing similar
debates.
Visual: a stylised parliament silhouette with overlapping speech bubbles — one clear, others distorted or blurred, symbolising misinformation.
What had gone wrong?
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
Framing
Focus
Timing
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
When the debate starts too late: According to the Senate President, supporters of the Istanbul Convention reacted too slowly, after misleading narratives had already gained traction. He warned that when parliamentarians leave space for disinformation to spread unchallenged, fear-based claims can start shaping political decisions. By the time factual corrections were offered, many views had already hardened. If parliamentarians do not intervene early, others will define the debate.
Framing
Focus
Timing
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
Losing sight of the convention’s purpose: As the narrative shifted towards cultural fears and abstract terms such as “gender ideology,” the convention’s real purpose faded from view. The focus moved away from violence, victims and protection, i.e. from the areas where the convention offers concrete solutions. This shift weakened the impact of factual explanations. When the focus moves away from prevention and protection, factual arguments lose their impact.
Framing
Timing
Focus
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
Facts alone are not enough: Legal explanations and technical arguments proved insufficient in an emotionally charged environment. The Czech experience shows that disinformation appealed to identity-based fears, while defenders of the convention relied mainly on rational rebuttals. To be effective, parliamentarians must combine facts with values-based communication.
Timing
Focus
Framing
Czechia: when ratification fails
Czechia – lessons for parliamentarians The Czech debate highlights three practical lessons for parliamentarians:
Counter misinformation early, not only when it dominates.
Keep the focus on the prevalence of violence and impunity, not ideology. Bring the debate back to protection and women’s rights.
Communicate facts through values that speak to society as a whole.
Czechia: when ratification fails
From debate to decision: lessons from national
parliaments
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition In Croatia, ratification of the Istanbul Convention took place in a highly polarised environment, marked by organised opposition and large-scale public mobilisation against the convention. Despite this, the parliament approved ratification, following extensive debate and sustained political leadership.
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
Context: delayed ratification shaped by backlash Croatia signed the Istanbul Convention in 2013, but ratification took five years. The scholarly analysis of the process highlights that the delay was not
primarily driven by technical legal incompatibilities of
Croatia’s legal and policy framework with the
Istanbul Convention. Instead, ratification
became politically instrumentalised. A strong anti-ratification campaign framed the Convention as an attempt to impose “gender ideology”,
shifting the debate away from preventing and
combating gender-based violence and towards
identity-based fears.
Scholars describe this debate as part of a wider pushback against women’s rights, in which the convention becomes a symbolic target; see Martina Bosak & Maja Munivrana Vajda (2019), ‘The reality behind the Istanbul Convention: Shattering conservative delusions’, 74 Women’s Studies International Forum 77–83.
Croatian Parliament
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
The “gender ideology” narrative and why it was persuasive The Croatian anti-ratification campaign relied on an often-repeated narrative: that the convention threatened national identity, religion, and the “traditional family”, by introducing a contested definition of “gender”. Like in other countries, this narrative travelled well because it offered a “safe”, conservative identity frame, while rendering the real issue invisible: the urgent need to effectively tackle violence against women and domestic violence.
Common — but false — claims included:“The convention changes family law”, “It introduces same-sex marriage”,
“It forces a new ideology in education”, or
“It is unnecessary because our laws already protect women”.
family
identity
values
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
What helped: a three-step parliamentary response The Croatian case shows that one effective way to neutralise misinformation is to break it into three steps:
- Clarify the basic distinction between sex (biological characteristics) and gender (socially constructed roles and expectations). Confusion between the two fuels much of the fear-based debate.
- Bring the focus back to the convention’s purpose: preventing violence, protecting victims, and ensuring effective prosecution — through coordinated policies.
- Demonstrate how the convention improves victim protection systems through specialised services, training, and coordinated policies even where basic laws exist.
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
Croatia – lessons for parliamentarians: two key messages to counter misinformation
Even without ratification of the Istanbul Convention, Strasbourg case law and Council of Europe standards influence domestic laws and policies over time. Ratification makes the framework clearer, stronger and more coherent.
“Gender” is not a foreign concept One key lesson from Croatia’s experience is that parliaments can defuse the idea that “gender” is a foreign invention. In Croatia, the concepts that opponents criticized — such as gender and gender identity — were already present in domestic law and public policy language, and they are, too, in many other countries’ legal and policy frameworks.
Added value: what ratification changes in practice A second key lesson is that ratification can add value even where criminal legislation appears largely aligned. The convention strengthens the system around the law: victim-centred support services, professional training, prevention measures, coordinated policy, and independent monitoring. It also carries a symbolic message: that gender-based violence is a human rights issue requiring sustained state action.
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
From debate to decision: lessons from national
parliaments
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story Experience has shown that, even after a country has ratified the Istanbul Convention, misrepresentations and disinformation campaigns can still find their way into the chambers of parliament. To ensure that the convention fulfils its promise to be the most powerful tool for preventingand combating violence against women and domestic
violence, sustained political commitment is required. The example of Latvia is emblematic of this need for continuous advocacy for the convention.
Latvian Parliament
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
A sudden parliamentary reversal Latvia ratified the Istanbul Convention in 2024 with broad parliamentary support. Yet, less than two years later, the same parliament that had supported the ratification voted in favour of a fast-tracked initiative to withdraw from the convention. The episode serves as an illustration of how human rights treaties can become instruments of political contestation at any moment. It also shows yet again the influence of anti-gender mobilisation, which succeeded in reframing the convention as a cultural threat rather than a tool to protect victims of violence. The attempt to withdraw also reveals how rapidly political incentives may shift, even where, like in Latvia, the public is widely supportive of the Istanbul Convention.
The withdrawal bill was submitted by opposition parties but gained support from segments of the governing coalition, illustrating how anti-gender narratives can reshape political alliances, even against previous votes.
- ‘PACE President calls on the Latvian Parliament to vote against leaving the Istanbul Convention, the gold standard legal instrument to prevent and punish violence against women’ (23 October 2025)
- ‘Latvia sending “dangerous message” about women’s rights, Council of Europe says’ (EURACTIV, 31 October 2025)
2024 - ratification
2025 - withdrawal attempt
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
How the withdrawal attempt unfolded The push to withdraw was notable for its speed and lack of procedural safeguards. Parliamentary votes were scheduled rapidly, without awaiting the opinion of Venice Commission that the Minister of Justice had requested. This fast-tracking allowed disinformation to shape the debate. The Council of Europe warned that such a process sends a dangerous message: that women’s rights can be reopened, renegotiated, or subordinated to short-term political interests.
According to then PACE President Rousopoulos, the decision risked signalling to victims that their rights ‘are not taken seriously’, and placed Latvia on course to becoming the first EU member state ever to withdraw from a major Council of Europe human rights treaty.
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
Society pushes back against the pushback While parts of the Saeima backed withdrawal, civil society mobilised rapidly in defence of Latvia’s continued commitment to protecting women from gender-based violence: Within a matter of days, more than 67,000 citizens signed a petition, calling on Latvia to remain party to the convention. Around 5,000 people gathered outside the Saeima, demanding that protections for victims not be weakened. This public support for the convention had a tangible impact. The President of Latvia returned the bill to parliament, and the Saeima ultimately postponed consideration of withdrawal to the next legislature. While only a partial win, the episode demonstrates the power of civic engagement and the importance for parliament to stay in tune with public demands for women’s effective protection from gender-based violence.
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
Lativa – lessons for parliamentarians: defending ratification is an ongoing responsibility
The Latvian case shows that ratification is not the end of the political process. Stable majorities cannot be assumed, and the convention can become a target of broader ideological agendas even after entry into force. Yet, when parliamentarians respond only to political dynamics within the chamber, they risk losing touch with public demand for women’s protection against gender-based violence.
Watch Edmunds Cepurītis, member of the Saeima of Latvia and of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), discuss what the Latvian experience teaches us about defending the Istanbul Convention and the crucial role played by parliamentarians in this regard.
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification All actions required by the Istanbul Convention are geared towards the aim of ending violence against women, an objective that we should all be able to agree on. Yet the past few years have seen, across and beyond Europe, a backlash against women’s human rights. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this backlash has left its mark on the Istanbul Convention, slowing down the progress of its wide ratification and implementation. Such developments require action by parliamentarians. They constitute an attack on the progressive normative framework established by European nations which collectively negotiated, drafted and unanimously adopted the Istanbul Convention, with important input from democratically elected parliamentarians. What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against disinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
Know who is behind these attacks: Coordinated opposition is often driven by an alliance of ultraconservative groups, anti-feminist movements, and organisations invoking religious or cultural mandates to resist gender equality frameworks. They take issue with rights and concepts that have long been recognised in international human rights law, including in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. Their intent is to undermine the very objective that the Istanbul Convention seeks to achieve: eradicating inequality between women and men, which is the root cause of gender-based violence.
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against disinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
Speak out against disinformation, because remaining silent while others spread falsehoods about the Istanbul Convention would mean surrendering the important gains that the convention has brought in terms of the protection of women’s human right to a life free from violence.
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against disinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
The Council of Europe has produced guidance in the form of a handy Question-and-Answer brochure aimed at exposing and rectifying misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention. All parliamentarians are invited to use this brochure, available in 20 languages, when engaging in discussions or debate on the real aims of the Istanbul Convention.
Stress the facts and focus on the rights of women victims of violence: Public support for the convention is crucial to ensure its maximum impact. Parliamentarians can use social and traditional media, interviews and other means to emphasise the aims of the Istanbul Convention: protecting women from gender-based violence. It is just as important to highlight the convention’s key benefits and achievements.
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against misinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
1. Which of the following factors most accurately explain why the Istanbul Convention has become a target for organised backlash movements?Select all that apply.
- A. It introduces non-European legal standards into domestic systems.
- B. It challenges entrenched gender hierarchies and stereotypes.
- C. It is perceived by some actors as symbolically linked to broader social changes.
- D. Its monitoring mechanism limits parliamentary oversight.
- E. Anti-gender movements strategically misrepresent its definition of gender.
Module 4 assessment – question 1
2. During a parliamentary debate, an MP asserts that the Istanbul Convention “forces countries to recognise new categories of gender identity.” You are asked for immediate clarification. Which response is most accurate and strategically appropriate?
- A. The convention has nothing to do with gender; that term never appears.
- B. The safest approach is to avoid addressing the claim publicly to prevent amplifying misinformation.
- C. Recognition of gender identities is left entirely to constitutional courts, so the convention automatically requires legal gender change procedures.
- D. The convention defines gender as a social construct related to inequality, and prohibits discrimination — including based on gender identity — but does not regulate recognition of gender
identities.
Module 4 assessment – question 2
3. What does the Latvian attempt to withdraw from the convention illustrate about parliamentary behaviour in contexts of organised anti-gender mobilisation?
- A. Once parliament ratifies an international treaty, majority support generally remains stable.
- B. Parliamentary U-turns often reflect detailed legal criticism emerging from expert bodies.
- C. Political incentives and disinformation can rapidly alter parliamentary positions, even reversing prior votes.
- D. Withdrawal attempts usually occur after the executive or parliament have identified concrete implementation challenges.
Module 4 assessment – question 3
4. True or False: The Istanbul Convention obliges Parties to introduce same-sex marriage into domestic law.
Same-sex marriage is not addressed in the Istanbul Convention, which focuses on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
Module 4 assessment – question 4
5. Which of the following best captures a shared lesson emerging from both the Czech Senate rejection and the Latvian withdrawal initiative?
- A. Delayed engagement by supporters allows disinformation to shape the agenda before accurate information reaches the public.
- B. The principal barrier to ratification or continued membership is constitutional incompatibility.
- C. A lack of civic mobilisation in support of the convention can fuel parliamentary opposition.
- D. Ratification processes are stalled primarily by technical translation issues in domestic law.
Module 4 assessment – question 5
6. Which statements correctly describe the Croatian ratification process according to scholarly analysis?Select all that apply.
- A. The primary obstacles were ideological, not legal.
- B. The convention introduced numerous criminal law reforms previously absent in Croatia.
- C. Opposition narratives portrayed the convention as an imposition of “gender ideology.”
- D. The interpretative declaration exempts Croatia from obligations regarding gender-sensitive implementation.
- E. The ratification debate illustrated misuse of “gender” and “gender identity” as interchangeable terms.
Module 4 assessment – question 6
7. You are a committee chair preparing for a hearing on the convention. Significant disinformation is circulating online. Which action best fulfils the aim of ensuring an informed parliamentary debate?
- A. Allow mainly ministry representatives to speak to avoid politicisation.
- B. Invite experts in gender-based violence, legal scholars, and civil society organisations to address disinformation and clarify obligations.
- C. Postpone the hearing until the next legislative cycle to avoid controversy.
- D. Treat online narratives as irrelevant to parliamentary deliberation.
Module 4 assessment – question 7
8. Which parliamentary actions to counter backlash against the Istanbul Convention are both effective and aligned with the convention’s aims?Select all that apply.
- A. Framing all opposition as illegitimate and refusing dialogue
- B. Publicly explaining how the convention improves protection systems for victims
- C. Using authoritative resources such as the Council of Europe Q&A brochure
- D. Replacing legal argumentation entirely with political messaging about national identity
- E. Ensuring debates remain centred on violence, victims and state obligations
Module 4 assessment – question 8
Image sources Attribution required Multiple modules
- Maps (Czechia + Croatia + Latvia, Italy + Spain, Belgium + Romania, France + Portugal + Denmark, Italy + Scotland, Germany, Austria, Sweden + Finland) created using MapChart
Module 4
- The role of parliamentarians in building informed and inclusive debates: “250611-D-ON707-1315” by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CC BY 2.0
- Context: delayed ratification shaped by backlash: “Predstavljanje nove Vlade RH” by Vlada Republike Hrvatske, CC BY-NC 2.0
- Latvia: Ratification is not the end of the story: “4.maijs Saeimā” by Saeima, CC BY-SA 2.0
Module 5
- What are deepfake intimate images?: “Face swap onto original work of art using Neural Net” by Stephen Wolfram, CC BY-NC-ND
Module 6
- Parliamentary questions: keeping pressure on the executive: “Voting session at the European Parliament” by European Parliament, CC BY 2.0
- France: exercising control over government policies: “ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE | Paris | 120914-0021-jikatu” by Jimmy Baikovicius, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Denmark: following up on GREVIO’s evaluation: “Copenhagen: Christiansborg Palace / Danish Parliament” by Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
- Italy: parliamentary committee of inquiry on femicide: “Montecitorio” by Vlad Lesnov, CC BY 3.0
- Scotland: reviewing funding and services for violence against women: “Scottish Parliament” by Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
- Germany: using parliamentary motions to press the government on Istanbul Convention implementation: Antrag 21/2803 - Gewaltschutz ganzheitlich denken - Istanbul-Konvention vollständig umsetzen (11 November 2025)
- Germany: using parliamentary motions to press the government on Istanbul Convention implementation: “The Reichstag — the German parliament, one of Berlin's historic landmarks.” by Kur Kerdirichi, CC BY-SA 3.0
Module 7
- Why men’s engagement is indispensable: “Plenary session in Brussels - April” by European Parliament, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
- Ways for men to become allies in the fight against VAW and DV: “UN Women's HeForShe Campaign Special Event” by UN Women, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
- Finland: health education includes consent and relationships: “Myllymäki elementary school” by Mikko Muinonen, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
No attribution required; for your information Multiple modules
- All icons selected from PowerPoint icon library, except book icon and opposite arrows icon
- Module assessment background: Glasses, Book, Phone
- Flags (Czechia, Croatia, Latvia, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Romania, France, Portugal, Denmark, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland, UK) from EmojiTerra
Module 4
- Whom does the convention protect? Diversity, People, Heads + Female, Girl, Silhouette
- Croatia – lessons for parliamentarians: two key messages to counter misinformation: Law, Justice, Legal
- How the withdrawal attempt unfolded: clock and gavel
Module 5
- Policy-making beyond criminal law: Two Women Having a Meeting Inside Glass-panel Office
- Spain’s ‘Only Yes Means Yes’ legislation: Yes
- Violence against women in the digital age: Woman Wearing Yellow Bubble Jacket
- A new law against deepfake intimate image abuse in the UK: A 3D Image of a Judge’s Hammer on a Black Background
Module 6
- Portugal: getting an accurate picture of the status quo: White Concrete Building Under Blue Sky
- Thematic inquiries and hearings: seeing the system as a whole: Photo from the PACE Handbook for parliamentarians on the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, p. 14
- Summing up: from commitment to accountability: Istanbul Convention Saves Lives
- Summing up: from commitment to accountability: Sticky Notes, Paper, Warnings
Module 7
- Why this module matters: Purple and White Graffiti on Wall
- What this module brings together: Clipboard and Magnifying Glass
- Boosting parliamentary knowledge: People Putting their Hands Together
- 2. Engaging men as allies in prevention: Women, Bold, Strong
- Strengthening protection through age-appropriate sexuality and relationship education: Books, Stack, Literature
Credits
Article 2 of the Istanbul Convention sets out the scope of the convention. It clarifies:
This Convention shall apply to all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, which affects women disproportionately.
Parties are encouraged to apply this Convention to all victims of domestic violence. Parties shall pay particular attention to women victims of gender-based violence in implementing the provisions of this Convention.
This Convention shall apply in times of peace and in situations of armed conflict.
M4 no videos HELP-course-for-parliamentarians-presentation-second-draft.pptx
Ana-Maria Telbis
Created on March 30, 2026
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Essential Business Proposal
View
Project Roadmap Timeline
View
Step-by-Step Timeline: How to Develop an Idea
View
Artificial Intelligence History Timeline
View
Magazine dossier
View
Microlearning: Graphic Design
View
Microlearning: Enhance Your Wellness and Reduce Stress
Explore all templates
Transcript
Module 4
Parliamentary Responses (I): Promoting the Istanbul Convention
Learning objectives By the end of this module, you will be able to:
Learning objectives
What difference can parliamentarians make? Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence is often seen as the responsibility of courts, police, prosecutors, and specialist services. Yet the Istanbul Convention makes clear that parliaments play a decisive role at every stage, from law-making and oversight to budget allocation and public leadership. In this short interview, Zita Gurmai, member of the National Assembly of Hungary and of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) (2022–2026), speaks about the different ways in which MPs can drive change. The next four modules build on these insights and zoom in on each of these roles in turn.
What difference can parliamentarians make?
Understanding the Istanbul Convention A ground-breaking treaty We saw in the previous module that the Istanbul Convention is a ground-breaking, legally binding international treaty designed to eradicate violence against women and domestic violence. It provides States with a comprehensive framework of policies and measures based on recognised best practice. European roots, global reach and ambition The Istanbul Convention was created in Europe, but its ambition is global. It was drafted on the understanding that violence against women is not confined to any region, and that effective solutions should be transferable across borders.
‘The Istanbul Convention: progress and challenges’, Explanatory memorandum by Ms Zita Gurmai, rapporteur for the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, Doc. 15673 of 5 January 2023, § 5.
“The Istanbul Convention remains the most innovative and groundbreaking international legal instrument which sets out the right of women to live free from violence as a human right.” – PACE Report The Istanbul Convention: progress and challenges (2019)
Any State can accede to the Istanbul Convention or use it as a blueprint for national or regional legislation and policies.
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Purpose and scope: the Istanbul Convention’s “4 Ps” The purpose of the Istanbul Convention is to end violence against women and domestic violence and to safeguard the fundamental right of women to live free from violence. As we saw in Module 3, the convention covers all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, which affects women disproportionately. The Istanbul Convention is built around four interconnected pillars, often referred to as the “4 Ps”.
PROTECTION
PREVENTION
CO-ORDINATEDPOLICIES
PROSECUTION
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Whom does the convention protect? Women are the primary beneficiaries of the Istanbul Convention. This is because the convention addresses forms of violence that are experienced by women because they are (perceived as) women — such as female genital mutilation or forced abortion — or that women are disproportionately exposed to in comparison with men, including domestic violence, forced marriage, forced sterilisation, rape and other forms of sexual violence, sexual harassment and stalking. The convention recognises that these forms of violence can also affect otherpersons, including men and boys as well as non-binary persons, particularly in the context of domestic violence. States are therefore encouraged to extend the application of the convention to everyone at risk of or affected by domestic violence, including male, child and older persons, while maintaining its core focus on addressing violence against women as a form of discrimination and a human rights violation.
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Intersectional vulnerability While the Istanbul Convention recognises violence against women as a form of discrimination, it also makes clear that not all women face the same risks or barriers to protection. Some women are exposed to heightened or compounded forms of violence because of intersecting factors such as age, migration status, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. These intersecting vulnerabilities often remain insufficiently recognised in law, policy and service provision. In this interview, the Parliamentary Assembly’s former General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBTI persons, Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo, reflects on why lesbian, bisexual and queer women, as well as trans women, face particular risks of gender-based violence, and what parliamentarians can do to ensure that protection under the Istanbul Convention is genuinely inclusive.
Understanding the Istanbul Convention
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention Why ratification matters Ratifying the Istanbul Convention is a parliamentary decision with legal and political consequences. It confirms a state’s commitment to preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, protecting victims and holding perpetrators accountable. Across Europe, parliamentary debates on ratification have shown that the process can be politically sensitive. It requires leadership, sustained engagement and a willingness to confront resistance.
Visual: large image of a parliamentary chamber during a vote (with visible voting panels or results)
Ratification requires parliamentary approval and often triggers reforms in criminal law, victim protection systems and public policies. Some countries may need to align their national legislation with convention standards prior to ratification.
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention
Why ratification can be difficult Today, the Istanbul Convention has been ratified by a vast majority of Council of Europe member States. Yet in a small number of countries, ratification has been delayed or contested. Delays arise for different reasons. They may reflect the time needed for legal mapping and legislative alignment, concerns about implementation capacity, or broader political tensions. In recent years, disinformation has increasingly contributed to slowing or blocking progress. Parliaments themselves can become arenas where instrumentalisation of the Istanbul Convention occurs. In some cases, opposition to ratification has been driven by coordinated disinformation campaigns, short-term political positioning, or narratives promoted by anti-gender and ultraconservative movements thatchallenge women’s human rights and strategically misrepresent the Convention’s aims and content. This places a particular responsibility on parliamentarians to engage critically and responsibly.
Parliamentary debates often revolve less around legal substance and more around false information about the convention’s aims, despite its clear focus on preventing gender-based violence and protecting victims.
When misinformation goes unchallenged in parliamentary debate, it can gain legitimacy and shape public perception.
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention
The role of parliamentarians in building informed and inclusive debates Good practice regarding parliamentary debates on ratification of the Istanbul Convention include hearings, expert testimony and dialogue with civil society, all of which help clarify what the convention requires and how it would apply nationally. This an inclusive approach promotes transparency and allows for countering false narratives with reliable evidence. Parliamentarians can moreover question governments, scrutinise the compatibility of national laws with Istanbul Convention requirements, bring facts into public debate and ensure that survivors’ experiences are heard. They also play a key role in framing ratification as part of a shared European effort to combat violence, rather than as an isolated national controversy.
Engaging ministries, judges and prosecutors, law enforcement, social services and women’s organisations strengthens the quality of parliamentary decision-making.
In parliamentary debates on ratification, it can be helpful to point to concrete achievements made in other countries thanks to the Istanbul Convention. The Council of Europe has published useful resources that highlight the positive impact of the Istanbul Convention whilst countering common misconceptions.
Promoting ratification of the Istanbul Convention
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments The following examples show how parliaments have navigated resistance, mobilised support and defended the Istanbul Convention — before ratification, during decisive votes, and after entry into force.
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
Czechia: when ratification fails In January 2024, the Senate of Czechia narrowly rejected a motion to ratify the Istanbul Convention. The vote followed an intense debate and an emotional plea by the President of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, in support of ratification. In interviews after the vote, the Senate President offered a rare self-critical assessment of what had gone wrong. His reflections provide valuable lessons for parliamentarians facing similar debates.
Visual: a stylised parliament silhouette with overlapping speech bubbles — one clear, others distorted or blurred, symbolising misinformation.
What had gone wrong?
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
Framing
Focus
Timing
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
When the debate starts too late: According to the Senate President, supporters of the Istanbul Convention reacted too slowly, after misleading narratives had already gained traction. He warned that when parliamentarians leave space for disinformation to spread unchallenged, fear-based claims can start shaping political decisions. By the time factual corrections were offered, many views had already hardened. If parliamentarians do not intervene early, others will define the debate.
Framing
Focus
Timing
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
Losing sight of the convention’s purpose: As the narrative shifted towards cultural fears and abstract terms such as “gender ideology,” the convention’s real purpose faded from view. The focus moved away from violence, victims and protection, i.e. from the areas where the convention offers concrete solutions. This shift weakened the impact of factual explanations. When the focus moves away from prevention and protection, factual arguments lose their impact.
Framing
Timing
Focus
Czechia: when ratification fails
What had gone wrong?
Facts alone are not enough: Legal explanations and technical arguments proved insufficient in an emotionally charged environment. The Czech experience shows that disinformation appealed to identity-based fears, while defenders of the convention relied mainly on rational rebuttals. To be effective, parliamentarians must combine facts with values-based communication.
Timing
Focus
Framing
Czechia: when ratification fails
Czechia – lessons for parliamentarians The Czech debate highlights three practical lessons for parliamentarians:
Counter misinformation early, not only when it dominates.
Keep the focus on the prevalence of violence and impunity, not ideology. Bring the debate back to protection and women’s rights.
Communicate facts through values that speak to society as a whole.
Czechia: when ratification fails
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition In Croatia, ratification of the Istanbul Convention took place in a highly polarised environment, marked by organised opposition and large-scale public mobilisation against the convention. Despite this, the parliament approved ratification, following extensive debate and sustained political leadership.
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
Context: delayed ratification shaped by backlash Croatia signed the Istanbul Convention in 2013, but ratification took five years. The scholarly analysis of the process highlights that the delay was not primarily driven by technical legal incompatibilities of Croatia’s legal and policy framework with the Istanbul Convention. Instead, ratification became politically instrumentalised. A strong anti-ratification campaign framed the Convention as an attempt to impose “gender ideology”, shifting the debate away from preventing and combating gender-based violence and towards identity-based fears.
Scholars describe this debate as part of a wider pushback against women’s rights, in which the convention becomes a symbolic target; see Martina Bosak & Maja Munivrana Vajda (2019), ‘The reality behind the Istanbul Convention: Shattering conservative delusions’, 74 Women’s Studies International Forum 77–83.
Croatian Parliament
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
The “gender ideology” narrative and why it was persuasive The Croatian anti-ratification campaign relied on an often-repeated narrative: that the convention threatened national identity, religion, and the “traditional family”, by introducing a contested definition of “gender”. Like in other countries, this narrative travelled well because it offered a “safe”, conservative identity frame, while rendering the real issue invisible: the urgent need to effectively tackle violence against women and domestic violence.
Common — but false — claims included:“The convention changes family law”, “It introduces same-sex marriage”, “It forces a new ideology in education”, or “It is unnecessary because our laws already protect women”.
family
identity
values
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
What helped: a three-step parliamentary response The Croatian case shows that one effective way to neutralise misinformation is to break it into three steps:
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
Croatia – lessons for parliamentarians: two key messages to counter misinformation
Even without ratification of the Istanbul Convention, Strasbourg case law and Council of Europe standards influence domestic laws and policies over time. Ratification makes the framework clearer, stronger and more coherent.
“Gender” is not a foreign concept One key lesson from Croatia’s experience is that parliaments can defuse the idea that “gender” is a foreign invention. In Croatia, the concepts that opponents criticized — such as gender and gender identity — were already present in domestic law and public policy language, and they are, too, in many other countries’ legal and policy frameworks.
Added value: what ratification changes in practice A second key lesson is that ratification can add value even where criminal legislation appears largely aligned. The convention strengthens the system around the law: victim-centred support services, professional training, prevention measures, coordinated policy, and independent monitoring. It also carries a symbolic message: that gender-based violence is a human rights issue requiring sustained state action.
Croatia: ratification despite strong opposition
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
From debate to decision: lessons from national parliaments
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story Experience has shown that, even after a country has ratified the Istanbul Convention, misrepresentations and disinformation campaigns can still find their way into the chambers of parliament. To ensure that the convention fulfils its promise to be the most powerful tool for preventingand combating violence against women and domestic violence, sustained political commitment is required. The example of Latvia is emblematic of this need for continuous advocacy for the convention.
Latvian Parliament
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
A sudden parliamentary reversal Latvia ratified the Istanbul Convention in 2024 with broad parliamentary support. Yet, less than two years later, the same parliament that had supported the ratification voted in favour of a fast-tracked initiative to withdraw from the convention. The episode serves as an illustration of how human rights treaties can become instruments of political contestation at any moment. It also shows yet again the influence of anti-gender mobilisation, which succeeded in reframing the convention as a cultural threat rather than a tool to protect victims of violence. The attempt to withdraw also reveals how rapidly political incentives may shift, even where, like in Latvia, the public is widely supportive of the Istanbul Convention.
The withdrawal bill was submitted by opposition parties but gained support from segments of the governing coalition, illustrating how anti-gender narratives can reshape political alliances, even against previous votes.
2024 - ratification
2025 - withdrawal attempt
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
How the withdrawal attempt unfolded The push to withdraw was notable for its speed and lack of procedural safeguards. Parliamentary votes were scheduled rapidly, without awaiting the opinion of Venice Commission that the Minister of Justice had requested. This fast-tracking allowed disinformation to shape the debate. The Council of Europe warned that such a process sends a dangerous message: that women’s rights can be reopened, renegotiated, or subordinated to short-term political interests.
According to then PACE President Rousopoulos, the decision risked signalling to victims that their rights ‘are not taken seriously’, and placed Latvia on course to becoming the first EU member state ever to withdraw from a major Council of Europe human rights treaty.
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
Society pushes back against the pushback While parts of the Saeima backed withdrawal, civil society mobilised rapidly in defence of Latvia’s continued commitment to protecting women from gender-based violence: Within a matter of days, more than 67,000 citizens signed a petition, calling on Latvia to remain party to the convention. Around 5,000 people gathered outside the Saeima, demanding that protections for victims not be weakened. This public support for the convention had a tangible impact. The President of Latvia returned the bill to parliament, and the Saeima ultimately postponed consideration of withdrawal to the next legislature. While only a partial win, the episode demonstrates the power of civic engagement and the importance for parliament to stay in tune with public demands for women’s effective protection from gender-based violence.
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
Lativa – lessons for parliamentarians: defending ratification is an ongoing responsibility
The Latvian case shows that ratification is not the end of the political process. Stable majorities cannot be assumed, and the convention can become a target of broader ideological agendas even after entry into force. Yet, when parliamentarians respond only to political dynamics within the chamber, they risk losing touch with public demand for women’s protection against gender-based violence.
Watch Edmunds Cepurītis, member of the Saeima of Latvia and of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), discuss what the Latvian experience teaches us about defending the Istanbul Convention and the crucial role played by parliamentarians in this regard.
Latvia: ratification is not the end of the story
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification All actions required by the Istanbul Convention are geared towards the aim of ending violence against women, an objective that we should all be able to agree on. Yet the past few years have seen, across and beyond Europe, a backlash against women’s human rights. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this backlash has left its mark on the Istanbul Convention, slowing down the progress of its wide ratification and implementation. Such developments require action by parliamentarians. They constitute an attack on the progressive normative framework established by European nations which collectively negotiated, drafted and unanimously adopted the Istanbul Convention, with important input from democratically elected parliamentarians. What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against disinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
Know who is behind these attacks: Coordinated opposition is often driven by an alliance of ultraconservative groups, anti-feminist movements, and organisations invoking religious or cultural mandates to resist gender equality frameworks. They take issue with rights and concepts that have long been recognised in international human rights law, including in the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. Their intent is to undermine the very objective that the Istanbul Convention seeks to achieve: eradicating inequality between women and men, which is the root cause of gender-based violence.
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against disinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
Speak out against disinformation, because remaining silent while others spread falsehoods about the Istanbul Convention would mean surrendering the important gains that the convention has brought in terms of the protection of women’s human right to a life free from violence.
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against disinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
Summing up: countering disinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification What can you do to counter attacks and address misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention?
The Council of Europe has produced guidance in the form of a handy Question-and-Answer brochure aimed at exposing and rectifying misconceptions about the Istanbul Convention. All parliamentarians are invited to use this brochure, available in 20 languages, when engaging in discussions or debate on the real aims of the Istanbul Convention.
Stress the facts and focus on the rights of women victims of violence: Public support for the convention is crucial to ensure its maximum impact. Parliamentarians can use social and traditional media, interviews and other means to emphasise the aims of the Istanbul Convention: protecting women from gender-based violence. It is just as important to highlight the convention’s key benefits and achievements.
Know who is behind these attacks
Speak out against misinformation
Stress the facts
Summing up: countering misinformation about the Istanbul Convention and promoting ratification
1. Which of the following factors most accurately explain why the Istanbul Convention has become a target for organised backlash movements?Select all that apply.
Module 4 assessment – question 1
2. During a parliamentary debate, an MP asserts that the Istanbul Convention “forces countries to recognise new categories of gender identity.” You are asked for immediate clarification. Which response is most accurate and strategically appropriate?
Module 4 assessment – question 2
3. What does the Latvian attempt to withdraw from the convention illustrate about parliamentary behaviour in contexts of organised anti-gender mobilisation?
Module 4 assessment – question 3
4. True or False: The Istanbul Convention obliges Parties to introduce same-sex marriage into domestic law.
Same-sex marriage is not addressed in the Istanbul Convention, which focuses on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
Module 4 assessment – question 4
5. Which of the following best captures a shared lesson emerging from both the Czech Senate rejection and the Latvian withdrawal initiative?
Module 4 assessment – question 5
6. Which statements correctly describe the Croatian ratification process according to scholarly analysis?Select all that apply.
Module 4 assessment – question 6
7. You are a committee chair preparing for a hearing on the convention. Significant disinformation is circulating online. Which action best fulfils the aim of ensuring an informed parliamentary debate?
Module 4 assessment – question 7
8. Which parliamentary actions to counter backlash against the Istanbul Convention are both effective and aligned with the convention’s aims?Select all that apply.
Module 4 assessment – question 8
Image sources Attribution required Multiple modules
- Maps (Czechia + Croatia + Latvia, Italy + Spain, Belgium + Romania, France + Portugal + Denmark, Italy + Scotland, Germany, Austria, Sweden + Finland) created using MapChart
Module 4- The role of parliamentarians in building informed and inclusive debates: “250611-D-ON707-1315” by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CC BY 2.0
- Context: delayed ratification shaped by backlash: “Predstavljanje nove Vlade RH” by Vlada Republike Hrvatske, CC BY-NC 2.0
- Latvia: Ratification is not the end of the story: “4.maijs Saeimā” by Saeima, CC BY-SA 2.0
Module 5- What are deepfake intimate images?: “Face swap onto original work of art using Neural Net” by Stephen Wolfram, CC BY-NC-ND
Module 6- Parliamentary questions: keeping pressure on the executive: “Voting session at the European Parliament” by European Parliament, CC BY 2.0
- France: exercising control over government policies: “ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE | Paris | 120914-0021-jikatu” by Jimmy Baikovicius, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Denmark: following up on GREVIO’s evaluation: “Copenhagen: Christiansborg Palace / Danish Parliament” by Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
- Italy: parliamentary committee of inquiry on femicide: “Montecitorio” by Vlad Lesnov, CC BY 3.0
- Scotland: reviewing funding and services for violence against women: “Scottish Parliament” by Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
- Germany: using parliamentary motions to press the government on Istanbul Convention implementation: Antrag 21/2803 - Gewaltschutz ganzheitlich denken - Istanbul-Konvention vollständig umsetzen (11 November 2025)
- Germany: using parliamentary motions to press the government on Istanbul Convention implementation: “The Reichstag — the German parliament, one of Berlin's historic landmarks.” by Kur Kerdirichi, CC BY-SA 3.0
Module 7No attribution required; for your information Multiple modules
- All icons selected from PowerPoint icon library, except book icon and opposite arrows icon
- Module assessment background: Glasses, Book, Phone
- Flags (Czechia, Croatia, Latvia, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Romania, France, Portugal, Denmark, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland, UK) from EmojiTerra
Module 4- Whom does the convention protect? Diversity, People, Heads + Female, Girl, Silhouette
- Croatia – lessons for parliamentarians: two key messages to counter misinformation: Law, Justice, Legal
- How the withdrawal attempt unfolded: clock and gavel
Module 5- Policy-making beyond criminal law: Two Women Having a Meeting Inside Glass-panel Office
- Spain’s ‘Only Yes Means Yes’ legislation: Yes
- Violence against women in the digital age: Woman Wearing Yellow Bubble Jacket
- A new law against deepfake intimate image abuse in the UK: A 3D Image of a Judge’s Hammer on a Black Background
Module 6- Portugal: getting an accurate picture of the status quo: White Concrete Building Under Blue Sky
- Thematic inquiries and hearings: seeing the system as a whole: Photo from the PACE Handbook for parliamentarians on the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, p. 14
- Summing up: from commitment to accountability: Istanbul Convention Saves Lives
- Summing up: from commitment to accountability: Sticky Notes, Paper, Warnings
Module 7Credits
Article 2 of the Istanbul Convention sets out the scope of the convention. It clarifies: This Convention shall apply to all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, which affects women disproportionately. Parties are encouraged to apply this Convention to all victims of domestic violence. Parties shall pay particular attention to women victims of gender-based violence in implementing the provisions of this Convention. This Convention shall apply in times of peace and in situations of armed conflict.