The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul convention, is based on the understanding that violence against women is a form of gender-based violence that is committed against women because they are women. 19 countries have so far ratified the convention.

Feride Acar, the President of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women (GREVIO), explains why the convention is such an indispensable tool in the international fight against this scourge, and why more countries need to ratify it.