The Istanbul Convention: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

The Istanbul Policy Center-Sabancı University-Stiftung Mercator Initiative and SU Gender are organizing an event entitled “The Istanbul Convention: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” The event will be held on Friday, November 29, 2024, from 16:00 to 18:45 on the 2nd floor of Minerva Han Karaköy.

The Istanbul Convention, prepared by the Council of Europe to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence and entered into force in 2014, is considered an important international document in many respects. The Istanbul Convention, which provides legal guarantees for the prevention of violence and imposes responsibilities on states for the protection of those subjected to violence, also adopts gender equality as a fundamental principle and makes various types of violence visible.

Turkey, which was the first country to sign the Convention when it was opened for signature in Istanbul in 2011, withdrew from the Convention in 2021. There have been many discussions on the subject since the withdrawal decision was made. What kind of gains did the Istanbul Convention pave the way for, especially in terms of women's rights, in the legal context?

What were the concrete effects of withdrawing from the Convention, which provided landmark decisions during its period of validity and constituted a fundamental text for rights defenders?

In the event to be organized in collaboration with Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center and SU Gender on Friday, November 29 at 16:00 at Minerva Han, speakers will address the past, present, and future of the Istanbul Convention around these and similar questions.