Southall Black Sisters supports #ICchange the national campaign for the UK to ratify the Istanbul Convention (IC) on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

We have been witness to an unprecedented wave of mass protests against violence against women in India, Afghanistan and indeed around the world. The heartening aspect of these events is that women everywhere are invoking their human rights to life and liberty and in the process they are extending and redefining conceptions of rights and justice to make them more progressive and inclusive. Paradoxically at the same time, we are also witness to an unprecedented attack on feminism and women’s rights globally. SBS fully supports the campaign to compel the UK government to ratify the Istanbul Convention. Our fear is that without ratification, the equality paradigm will be defeated. In the UK, black and minority women in particular, have the most to lose since they not only have to contend with the economic climate of cut backs and general backlash against gender equality but linked to this, the rise and entrenchment of religious power. It is imperative that we force the current government to make good its promise to abide by international law and standards on violence and discrimination against women.

Join #ICchange Campaign in demanding change

Sign the petition today Get serious about Ending Violence Against Women and share on social media and via email.

See the original blog posted by Southall Black Sisters here.

Southall Black Sisters are a group of black and minority women with years of experience of struggling for women’s human rights in the UK. Southall Black Sisters, a not-for-profit, secular and inclusive organisation, was established in 1979 to meet the needs of Black (Asian and African-Caribbean) women.

@SBSisters