By Nazan Moroglu EWLA member in Istanbul: On 24 November 2011 Turkey ratified the Council of Europe (COE) Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women. Turkey is the first signatory country approving the Convention its Parliament. The Turkish Parliament adopted the Convention with 246 votes.
I can say this is the success of women lawyers and women associations strong lobbing activities.
Only after ten countries ratify this Convention in their Parliaments will the Convention enter into force.
At a ceremony on 11th May 2011 in Turkey, the Council of Europe gained the first signatures for the new convention on preventing violence against women. José Mendes Bota, Chairperson of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s (PACE) Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men, spoke at the Istanbul launch of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence:
“Today the Council of Europe has established a crucial landmark on the way to ensuring the equal enjoyment of human rights by women and men.”
“Violence against women is a human rights violation which thrives on gender discrimination and unequal power relations between women and men in society. The Istanbul Convention places a powerful tool into the hands of states for eradicating this evil, saving millions of victims and delivering justice.”
“I am delighted that 13 Council of Europe member states – including Turkey, the current Chair of the Committee of Ministers – have taken the lead in signing the Convention this morning. This is an important political sign that violence against women and domestic violence must end. I call on all Council of Europe member states and the European Union to become parties to our Convention as soon as possible, so that its great potential is exploited to the full.”
“For its part, the PACE network of contact parliamentarians committed to combating violence against women stands ready to support the Istanbul Convention, with a view to promoting its signature, ratification and effective implementation by the largest possible number of states, and to carry out visibility and awareness-raising activities amongst the general public.”
Article 75 – Signature and entry into force
1 This Convention shall be open for signature by the member States of the Council of Europe, the non-member States which have participated in its elaboration and the European Union.
2 This Convention is subject to ratification, acceptance or approval. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
3 This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the date on which 10 signatories, including at least eight member States of the Council of Europe, have expressed their consent to be bound by the Convention in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2.
4 In respect of any State referred to in paragraph 1 or the European Union, which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by it, the Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.
Article 76 – Accession to the Convention
1 After the entry into force of this Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may, after consultation of the Parties to this Convention and obtaining their unanimous consent, invite any non-member State of the Council of Europe, which has not participated in the elaboration of the Convention, to accede to this Convention by a decision taken by the majority provided for in Article 20.d of the Statute of the Council of Europe, and by unanimous vote of the representatives of the Parties entitled to sit on the Committee of Ministers.
2 In respect of any acceding State, the Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of three months after the date of deposit of the instrument of accession with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.