Debate: Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention
Date: THURSDAY, 25 MARCH 2021
Speaker: Ana Paula Zacarias
Language: EN

On Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, I would like to underline the statement issued by the High Representative last Saturday. He deeply regretted the decision by the Turkish Government to withdraw from the convention, the first international legally binding instrument aiming at ensuring essential legal protection for women and girls across the world. The decision is a huge setback, all the more as Turkey was the first country to sign this landmark treaty.  Mr Borrell also noted that this comes at a moment when violence against women has increased to new levels worldwide as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A step backwards which sends a very dangerous message. I would like to recall that on Monday, the Council on Foreign Affairs met here in Brussels and the ministers discussed the situation in Turkey on the basis of the report presented by the High Representative. The question of the convention was highlighted by several Member States. On the following day, I had the honour of chairing the VTC meeting of ministers of European affairs, where we also had a discussion on Turkey’s withdrawal from the convention. And once again many ministers echoed the High Representative’s words of regret.  We have seen the reaction in Turkey as well as international reactions, including from the leaders of the Council of Europe. The Presidency, as many others, consider this a regrettable and grave matter in itself and because it’s also combined with other setbacks on Turkey’s obligations to respect democracy and the rule of law. These and other recent developments will also certainly be part of the leaders’ discussion on Turkey today.  Honourable Members, as President von der Leyen said, violence against women is not tolerable. Women deserve a strong legal framework to protect them. The Council has consistently called for increased efforts to ensure gender equality and respect for human rights. The Union is redoubling its efforts to defend the rights of women and girls as fundamental elements of human rights and equality. In this context, let me reiterate the Presidency’s attachment to the Istanbul Convention and say that combating violence against women features prominently on the agenda of the Portuguese Presidency and of the relevant Council bodies. This year, as we mark the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention, on this occasion the Presidency will organise on 6 April a high-level conference with the German Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. The Council has repeatedly called on the Member States that have not done so to ratify the Istanbul Convention. The Presidency will continue in any possible way to work towards the conclusion of this important instrument within the legal framework set by the Treaties and pending the European Court of Justice’s opinion requested by this Parliament.  Dear Honourable Members, we are only a few days away from 8 March and we have often debated women’s rights in this Chamber. Only last month we were discussing the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and its platform of action. Much progress has been made over the past decades, to the benefit of women and girls in the Union and across the world. However, as we see every day, many challenges remain, and we must keep on fighting for women’s rights and combating violence against women. We have to do this all together.