European Convention on violence against women comes into effect
Tue 26 Aug 2014
A European Convention obligating countries that ratify it to prevent, protect, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence ...
A European Convention obligating countries that ratify it to prevent, protect, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence came into effect on 1 August 2014.
The Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the "Istanbul Convention," requires countries which ratify it to take specific steps to counter all forms of violence against women including stalking, sexual harassment, domestic violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Its provisions cover a range of areas including: comprehensive and coordinated policies, data collection, prevention, provision of services, investigation, legal procedings, migration and asylum. Countries undertake to include a gender perspective in the implementation and evaluation of the impact of the Convention.
The effective implementation of the convention’s provisions will be supported by a monitoring mechanism to be set up by early 2015.
Two relevant articles have recently been published:
and
Addressing violence against women in the Commonwealth within states' obligations under international law by Christine Chinkin, Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 2014, 40(3): 471-501
The Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Commission recently published an analysis of legislation and practice in combating violence against women by Council of Europe member states.
Media:
Istanbul Convention enters into force, Council of Europe, 01.08.2014
Europe in push to stop violence against women, NZ Herald, 01.08.2014
Image: Satellite picture of Europe by Koyos, made with NASA World Wind. Licence: Public domain
Image: Koyos