Turkey announces withdrawal from Istanbul Convention on violence against women

According to news reports, Turkey announced on 20 March 2021 that it will withdraw from the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention, a treaty designed to combat violence against women. Turkey became the first country to sign and ratify the convention in 2011, which requires countries to adopt specific measures aimed at preventing and combating all forms of violence against women.

The decision to withdraw from the convention was made by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who claims that the treaty threatens family values and promotes homosexuality. The move has been widely criticised by rights groups and opposition parties, who argue that this step will isolate and further marginalise women in Turkey, where violence against women is already a serious problem.

The Istanbul Convention has been seen as a landmark agreement, and Turkey's withdrawal from the convention could have far-reaching implications for other countries. It remains to be seen how the international community will respond to Turkey's decision, and how it will impact women's rights in the country.

What is Istanbul convention 

The Istanbul Convention is an international treaty of the Council of Europe that was adopted in 2011 and entered into force in 2014. It is the first legally binding instrument in Europe in the field of preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The Convention provides a comprehensive framework for the protection of women against all forms of violence, and for the prevention, prosecution and elimination of violence against women and domestic violence. It also contains provisions on the protection of victims and witnesses of violence, and on the promotion of gender equality.