By Johanna Nelles, Executive Secretary to the Istanbul Convention, Council of Europe

The Istanbul Convention is the gold standard in protecting women from violence.

When the UK signed this treaty in 2012, it showed its political support of the Istanbul Convention, and its willingness to continue its engagement with the treaty process. Ratifying the Istanbul Convention would confirm the UK’s political commitment to preventing and combating violence against women – at both national and international levels.

Ratification would also help to secure life-saving changes for women and girls, and offer the UK a detailed roadmap towards the comprehensive protection of women from the different forms of violence they experience in their daily lives, simply because they are women.

A major innovation of the Istanbul Convention is the obligation placed on countries that ratify to invite their parliaments to participate in the monitoring process.

When a country ratifies the Istanbul Convention, they agree to an independent review by the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO). GREVIO’s role is to assess their policies and measures, as well as their implementation of the Convention.

Taking part in these independent reviews would help the UK government to strengthen its approach to addressing violence against women, and to ensure that no woman is left behind. The UK has a long history of responding to violence against women and a vibrant women’s advocacy movement.

This is why it is so important that the UK demonstrate its commitment to women’s protection from violence by ratifying the Convention without delay.

The power of the Istanbul Convention only unfolds when governments commit to it by law and in practice.

Take action now:

Sign the petition for the UK to ratify the Istanbul Convention