In response to the #MeToo and other recent movements that have heightened awareness of persistent sexism in society, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted a Recommendation to stop sexism, which is for the first time ever, defined in a dedicated legal instrument. The recommendations provides a comprehensive list of measures and areas where sexism occurs, from advertising and media, to employment, the justice sector, education and sport.
The text in particular aims to shed light on what sexist behaviour is and proposes concrete ways for different actors to identify and address them. The Istanbul Convention, provides a solid legally binding framework for the recommendation and its implementation. The convention requires parties “to promote changes in the social and cultural patterns of behaviour of women and men with a view to eradicating prejudices, customs, traditions and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority of women or on stereotyped roles for women and men”, and also requires that parties criminalise stalking and take the necessary measures to ensure that sexual harassment is subject to criminal or other legal sanctions”
