Istanbul Convention: "Vaccine for Women against Violence"

In Istanbul, women have once again made it clear that withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention is out of the question for them. The demonstration was stopped by a massive police contingent.

Women in Turkey continue to take to the streets against the revocation of the Istanbul Convention ordered by President Erdogan a week ago. On Friday, a protest took place in Istanbul's Kadiköy district, called for by, among others, the platform "We will stop femicides" (KCDP) and women's councils. The demonstration was stopped by a massive police contingent. The activists protested against the obstruction with the slogan "Don't stop the women, stop the murderers!”.

The Istanbul Convention was drawn up in 2011 by the Council of Europe as an international treaty and is intended to create a Europe-wide legal framework to prevent and combat violence against women. The agreement is considered a milestone in the fight against patriarchal violence and obliges signatory states to combat gender-based violence and improve prevention and assistance services. The women in Istanbul made it clear once again that renouncing the convention is out of the question for them.

Fidan Ataselim, speaking on behalf of the KCDP, pointed out that the annulment of the convention by presidential decree is unconstitutional. Erdogan had justified the withdrawal after Friday prayers in Istanbul by saying that it was merely "a piece of paper." However, this is exactly what a constitutional state is about, Ataselim said: "The Istanbul Convention is still valid. The constitution, which the president also considers just a piece of paper, is binding for our peaceful coexistence in society. Everyone must abide by it. The Istanbul Convention is something like a vaccine against male violence for women. We will demand accountability every day from those who say otherwise."