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In a gesture of solidarity with the women and LGBTI+s in Turkey in the wake of the country's withdrawal from the İstanbul Convention by a Presidential decision in March 2021, Spain's Minister of Equality Irene Montero Gil wore a mask with the slogan "İstanbul Convention is Ours."
In the video broadcast by the Ministry of Equality (Ministerio de Igualdad) of Spain on YouTube with the motto "İstanbul Convention Saves Lives" and with the title "10 Years of the İstanbul Convention: Dialogue Between Institutions and the Feminist Movement" (10 años del Convenio de Estambul: diálogo entre las instituciones y el movimiento feminista), Spain's Minister of Equality Irene Montero Gil and Şehnaz Kıymaz Bahçeci from the Human Rights of Women - New Solution Association talked about the İstanbul Convention and the recent movements against rights.
"El Convenio de Estambul es nuestro" es el lema que utilizan las feministas en Turquía ???????? después de que este país se saliera del convenio. Reivindican un instrumento internacional esencial para acabar con todas las violencias machistas.
— Ministerio de Igualdad (@IgualdadGob) June 4, 2021
@sehnazkb, activista de @United4IC pic.twitter.com/rXvrxzFen9
'İstanbul Convention is Ours'
During the online discussion, Minister Montero Gil, together with Şehnaz Kıymaz Bahçeci from Turkey, underlined the importance of the İstanbul Convention, or the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.
In a gesture of solidarity and support for the women and LGBTI+ community in Turkey in the wake of Turkey's withdrawal from the Convention, the Minister wore a mask with the slogan "İstanbul Sözleşmesi Bizim", which means "İstanbul Convention is Ours/ Belongs to us."
In a message on the Twitter account of Spain's Equality Ministry, the video featuring Şehnaz Kıymaz Bahçeci explaining what the slogan "İstanbul Convention is Ours" means in Turkey has also been shared.
What happened?
The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - the İstanbul Convention - was opened for signature in İstanbul on May 11, 2011. Turkey became the first country to ratify the Convention in 2012, followed by 33 other countries from 2013 to 2019. The Convention came into force on August 1, 2014.
Turkey has withdrawn from the İstanbul Convention with a Presidential decision published in the Official Gazette on March 20, 2021.
The decision in question said that "the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, which was signed by Turkey on May 11, 2011 and approved with the Cabinet Decree no. 2012/2816 on February 10, 2012, shall be terminated on the part of Turkey as per the Article 3 of the Presidential Decree no. 9."
Following this Presidential decision published at midnight, several social media users, women's rights defenders, lawyers and politicians, denounced the decision, recalling that the convention was unanimously approved at the Parliament and stressing that it is not possible for Turkey to withdraw from an international convention with a Presidential decision.
After the Presidential decision pulling Turkey out of the İstanbul Convention was met with criticisms and objections in both Turkey and around the world, the Communications Directorate of the Presidency released a written statement about the issue on March 22.
"As known, Turkey was the first signatory to the Istanbul Convention," the statement noted, arguing that the "İstanbul Convention, originally intended to promote women's rights, was hijacked by a group of people attempting to normalize homosexuality – which is incompatible with Turkey's social and family values. Hence the decision to withdraw."
The protests are still ongoing. (EMK/SD)
