POLAND: The Istanbul Convention under attack
In July, Polish women and their allies protested following the announcement that Poland would begin the process of withdrawing its ratification from the Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the Istanbul Convention.
In a year when GBV spiralled under emergency restrictions and many governments stood accused of doing little to protect women, Poland went further still, actively stating its intention to rob women of protections.
We would like to raise this question, together with Turkish women, who are facing a similar battle against their government’s initiative to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. You cannot be destroying human rights, like Hungary and Russia are doing, and still be treated by the Council of Europe like anyone else, as a partner in the conversation.
Klementyna Suchanow
