The Council of Europe has opened a landmark convention in relation to preventing and combating violence against women for signature. The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence is the first ever legally binding instrument which creates a legal framework to protect women against all forms of violence. It also establishes an international mechanism to monitor its implementation at national level.
The Explanatory Report to the Convention sets out how violence against women, including domestic violence, is one of the "most serious forms of gender-based violations of human rights in Europe that is still shrouded in silence". Among the obligations set out in the Convention, parties are required to take measures necessary to "promote changes in the social and cultural patterns of behaviour of women and men with a view to eradicating prejudices, customs, traditions and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority of women or on stereotyped roles for women and men". The Convention sets out further requirements in the areas of education and awareness-raising. This includes obligations on signatory States to work alongside national human rights institutions, civil society and NGOs to fulfil their duties under the Convention.
The Convention was opened for signature at a Session of the Committee of Ministers in Istanbul on 11 May 2011. There are currently 13 signatories to the Convention including France, Germany and Spain, although notably not the UK or Ireland. Welcoming the adoption of the Convention, Amnesty International Ireland's Executive Director Colm O'Gorman described it as a "big step forward in preventing violence against women and girls right across Europe". Mr O'Gorman also noted it would be a "really positive gesture" and a "very real demonstration of support for women's rights" if the Irish Government were to become a signatory to the Convention.
To view the press release from Amnesty International Ireland click here.