The President of GREVIO, Ms Feride Acar held an exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

She updated the deputies about progress with the signatures and ratification of the Istanbul Convention and GREVIO’s monitoring of the implementation of the Istanbul Convention by the State parties. Ms Acar highlighted the fact that the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention shows that it is already having a positive impact on the lives of women across Europe: laws are being changed and protection and support services stepped up, specific criminal offences of forced marriage, stalking and female genital mutilation are being introduced and rape provisions are changing, resulting in important public debate around consent to sexual acts.

The President of GREVIO shared with the Ministers’ deputies GREVIO’s concerns regarding the current backlash in Europe and beyond against women’s rights in general and the Istanbul Convention in particular. She called upon the state parties to step up efforts to address misinterpretation and misconceptions about the scope and the main aim of the Convention and emphasise the added value of the Convention as the most advanced legally binding treaty to tackle violence against women and domestic violence and support GREVIO’s work to ensure implementation of the Convention.

In the discussions and exchange that ensued, a large number of delegates expressed their firm support for the Istanbul Convention and their desire to promote it in the face of opposition to some of its provisions. Delegates also shared their appreciation for GREVIO’s work and highlighted the positive impact which ratification and evaluation of the implementation of the convention has had in their countries.

The full text of the intervention of the President of GREVIO can be found here.