On the 10-year anniversary of the Istanbul Convention, the Alliance Of Her Alumnae launched a call for all EU member states to ratify and adhere to the Convention. You can add your signature here and read the full petition here

11 May 2021 marked the 10-year anniversary of the Istanbul Convention. This Convention is a human rights treaty on preventing and combatting violence and domestic violence against women, adopted by the Council of Europe on 7 April 2011 and opened for signatures on 11 May 2021. It is the single most consistent package of legislative protection.

Yet, ten years on, one in three women in the EU have experienced physical and/or sexual violence and, according to a recent ALDE Party survey, 50% of women in elected office reported that online harassment makes them less likely to remain in politics.

This is not right. Violence against women and girls is a clear violation of human rights.

We, the Alliance Of Her (AOH) alumnae call for the ratification and adherence to the Istanbul Convention by the European Union and all EU member states. As a role model for democracy, the European Union must lead by example and demonstrate with clear actions and commitments that gender-based violence in any shape or form is not acceptable in any of its member states.

Unfortunately, six EU countries have not yet ratified the Istanbul Convention and two others are at risk of withdrawal. Moreover, a few weeks ago President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the withdrawal of Turkey from the accord - the very country whose biggest city gave the Convention its name. This sets a dangerous precedent for other countries around the world and puts women in a vulnerable position.

We call on Europe’s leaders to affirm that violence against women and girls has no place in Europe and that true gender equality will not be achieved until it is eradicated.  

SIGN OUR PETITION

Women’s rights are human rights, and as Liberals, we will continue the fight for gender equality every day of the year.

Sincerely,

The Alliance Of Her Alumnae Advisory Board

Joanna Burnos (ALDE Individual Member)

Madelaine Jakobsson (Sweden, Centerpartiet)

Emma Murphy (Fianna Fáil, Ireland)

Jasmina Mrso (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Naša stranka)

Joyce Onstad (United Kingdom, Liberal Democrats)

Bettina Stark-Watzinger (Germany, FDP)

Diana Topcic Rosenberg (Croatia, GLAS)

Stina Wahlsten (Finland, Swedish People’s Party)

The Alliance Of Her aims to promote gender equality in politics and decision-making across Europe by empowering and supporting women that want to be active in liberal politics. AOH is the leading network of its kind in Europe, and is a partnership between ALDE Party, The European Liberal Forum (ELF) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF).