NEW COUNCIL OF EUROPE STANDARDS FOR PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY AND PREVENTING AND COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN : PREMISES FOR CO-OPERATION Raluca Popa Equality Division Directorate General of Democracy Council of Europe

Four major treaties are the foundation of the work to protect the human rights and dignity of women in the 47 member states of the Council of Europe: the European Convention on Human Rights the European Social Charter the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and, the newest, the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Five key objectives: Combating gender stereotypes and sexism Preventing and combating violence against women Guaranteeing equal access of women to justice Achieving balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision- making Achieving gender mainstreaming in all policies and measures THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE GENDER EQUALITY STRATEGY ( )

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence opened for signature in May 2011, in Istanbul Entered into force: 1 st of August 2014 Currently ratified by 15 member states of the Council of Europe Some basics: The international community’s most comprehensive and detailed response to violence against women Incorporates global norms, such as: 1992 General Recommendation 19 of the CEDAW and 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of VAW Best on based practice and state of the art knowledge ISTANBUL CONVENTION

SOME FEATURES OF THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION LINKED TO SAFEGUARDING WOMEN‘S ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS  Extensive anti-discrimination clause on implementation includes ‘social origin’ and ‘property’ among impermissible grounds (Article 4, paragraph 3)  Definition of domestic violence includes economic violence (Article 3, paragraph b)  Culture, custom, religion, tradition and so-called honour cannot be used as justifications for violence against women (Article 12, paragraph 5)

SOME FEATURES OF THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION LINKED TO SAFEGUARDING WOMEN‘S ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS  Right to free legal aid for victims (Article 57)  Support services for victims of gender-based violence, such as shelters, telephone helplines available 24 hours, and rape crisis centres or sexual violence referral centres  Due diligence standard is defined as the obligation of states to “prevent, investigate, punish and provide reparation for acts of violence perpetrated by non-state actors” (Article 5)

SIGN, RATIFY AND IMPLEMENT THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION!

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