Istanbul Convention

Turkey has rebuffed criticisms from the West over its decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, a pact designed to counter violence against women.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on March 21 that withdrawal from the convention should not be regarded as a concession on the fight against violence against women.

Turkey responded late on March 21 to international reactions following its decision to withdraw from a European treaty aimed at preventing and combating violence against women.

"The Republic of Turkey's withdrawal from the treaty should not be interpreted as compromising on combating violence against women," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Council of Europe and leaders of some European countries expressed concern on March 20 for Turkey's withdrawal from a European treaty on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

Turkey sparked both domestic and international fury on Saturday after it withdrew from the world's first binding treaty to prevent and combat violence against women.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of Turkish women across the country protested President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's midnight decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, a European treaty to stop domestic violence.

Turkey withdrew from a European treaty on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, according to the country's Official Gazette early on March 20. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed a decree to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention that was signed in 2011.

In the letter - leaked to BIRN and published below in its entirety for the first time - that was sent last year to at least four governments in the region (Croatia, Czechia, Slovakia and Slovenia), the Polish Justice Ministry sets out its vision over five pages for an alternative to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, to giv

Women across Turkey marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25, highlighting that 354 women have been killed so far since the start of the year and how the pandemic conditions had left many trapped with their abusers at home.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) welcomes the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, reiterating its "firm" commitment to promoting and protecting women's rights, and to continuing the fight to eradicate all forms violence against women and girls.