The Diplomat
The Spanish government yesterday called on Turkey to reconsider its decision taken last Saturday to withdraw from the Council of Europe Convention, known as the Istanbul Convention, on preventing and combating violence against women and combating domestic violence.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government “deeply regrets” the measure taken by Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan, despite the fact that Turkey was the first country to ratify the Convention signed in 2011, precisely in the most important Turkish city.
The Turkish president’s office argued for the decision to abandon the Istanbul Convention, pointing out that the Convention, which was initially designed to promote women’s rights, “has been hijacked by a group of people who try to normalise homosexuality, which is incompatible with Turkey’s social and family values”.
In its statement, the Ministry, which is headed by Arancha González Laya, affirms that the Convention is the “first and foremost binding multilateral instrument to combat violence against women and girls”. And it recalls that, in addition to elements of protection and prevention, it includes a development framework for its application by the States.
The Spanish government also criticises the fact that the announcement of the withdrawal is being made at this time, “when there is, it says, a risk of regression in the rights of women and girls” and when the Istanbul Convention “is more necessary than ever”.
For this reason, in addition to being a friendly country and a member of the Council of Europe, the communiqué states that the government “hopes” that Ankara “reconsiders” the decision which, in its opinion, could have a “decisive” effect on the promotion and protection of women’s rights, both in Turkey and in the rest of the world.
