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The Committee of the Parties of the Council of Europe has awarded Pro Merito Medal to Prof. Dr. Feride Acar, the outgoing President of the Group of Experts of Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) and a faculty member at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of Middle East Technical University (METU).
The medal has been granted to Prof. Dr. Acar "in recognition of her commitment to the Council of Europe's values and work."
Serving as the President of the GREVIO for three consecutive terms, Acar's term ended on March 31, 2019.
The ceremony was hosted by the Chair of the Committee of the Parties, the Permanent Representative of Norway to the Council of Europe Ambassador Elisabeth Walaas and attended by members of the GREVIO, members of the Platform of regional and international mechanisms on women's rights, Ambassadors from the member states of the Council of Europe and representatives of other Council of Europe bodies.
In her remarks, Director General of Democracy Snezana Samardzic-Markovic presenting the medal on behalf of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe thanked Professor Acar for her commitment and contribution to the Council of Europe work and activities to promote women's rights and end discrimination and violence against women.
Click here for the full speech of Snezana Samardzic-Markovic
'Difficult times for defending gender equality'
Making a speech at the medal-awarding ceremony, Prof. Dr. Feride Acar made the following remarks in brief:
"I know that at the present time, we are all going through difficult times when it comes to defending human rights and gender equality. However, history has shown time and again that liberalism with such ideals as equality, inclusiveness, diversity, tolerance, and promotion and protection of human rights has always outlived very strong illiberal regimes that have tried to repress and erase these values, including women's human rights.
"Of late, reactionary, populist movements and governments in so many countries around the world are, once again, openly challenging the values and ideals of civil liberties and gender equality as part and parcel of their retrogressive world views.
'I am in no way discouraged'
"While I feel justifiably disturbed by these threats levelled against the very ideals enshrined in the Istanbul Convention, I am in no way discouraged or disheartened.
"With the passion, dedication and unrelenting work of its supporters, I am sure the Istanbul Convention will play a critical role in countering retrogressive movements and will have a growing eminence towards eliminating violence against women and ensuring gender equality."
Click here for the full speech of Prof. Dr. Feride Acar
About Prof. Dr. Feride AcarProf. Feride Acar has been a faculty member in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey for almost forty years. She has also taught in METU's Gender and Women's Studies Graduate Program, of which she is the Founding Chairperson. Acar has been active in the international women's human rights and gender equality arena, either as an independent expert or representing Turkey in global and regional events. She has taken part in the negotiations, drafting and/or monitoring the implementation of several fundamental international instruments on women's rights and gender equality (CEDAW, Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW Optional Protocol, Istanbul Convention). She has organized and carried out 'trainings' on women's rights and gender equality in many countries. She is a former Chairperson and current member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). She has participated as researcher or coordinator in several nationally and internationally sponsored cross-cultural research and implementation projects, given numerous lectures, and published works on international standards of women's rights and gender equality, including on the links between CEDAW and the Istanbul Convention. Prof. Acar applied to the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services in 2019 to be nominated as the President candidate for the GREVIO, where she served as the President for three terms. However, Prof. Dr. Aşkın Asan, the director of the high school named after the late mother of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was nominated by the Ministry as the only candidate. Speaking to bianet, Acar stated that she found the decision political. Click here for her full Curriculum Vitae |
About GREVIO – Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic ViolenceGREVIO is the independent expert body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) by the Parties. GREVIO draws up and publishes reports evaluating legislative and other measures taken by the Parties to give effects to the provisions of the Convention. In cases where action is required to prevent a serious, massive or persistent pattern of any acts of violence covered by the Convention, GREVIO may initiate a special inquiry procedure. GREVIO may also adopt, where appropriate, general recommendations on themes and concepts of the Convention. Article 66 of the Istanbul Convention governs GREVIO membership. It provides that GREVIO shall have between 10 and 15 members, depending on the number of Parties to the Convention, and shall take into account a gender and geographical balance, as well as multidisciplinary expertise in the area of human rights, gender equality, violence against women and domestic violence or in the assistance to and protection of victims. Integrity, competence, independence, availability and language skills (English and/or French) are the guiding principles for the nomination and election of GREVIO members. The Convention entrusted the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to define the election procedure of the members of GREVIO. Click here for detailed information |
(EMK/SD)
