Istanbul Convention . Poland signed the Istanbul Convention for the prevention and combating of violence against women and domestic violence in 2015 under the previous administration of centrist party Civic Platform (PO). He added that the reforms introduced in the country in recent years provided sufficient protection for women. "The aim is to legalise domestic violence," Marta Lempart, an organiser of a march in the city, told Reuters news agency. “Recognition of same-sex marriages is not in the convention. The decision came during the life-time of the liberal administration led by the Civic Platform (PO). Luca Volontè . “Why do we want Poland to be excluded from the application of the Istanbul Convention? A protester holds a banner reading Believe Victims as she takes part in a protest against the Polish government plans to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention (WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images). The devil is in the detail, however – in the small print of the treaty. Poland had already ratified the convention, with the other three Visegrád countries having previously signed it. He added that reforms introduced in the country in recent years provided sufficient protection for women. Protests were held against the proposed withdrawal in Warsaw and Krakow on Friday and Saturday. The withdrawal of Poland from the Istanbul Convention would represent a major setback for the respect for human rights in the country. Among other things, the Convention obliges signatory states to classify any form of violence against women and girls and all forms of domestic violence as a crime. Europe, The word ‘gender’ is used in the convention to emphasise that women are more likely to experience violence because they are women. It calls for action to fight violence against women, together with prevention, protection and prosecution measures. Today, the Council of Europe Expert Group on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic... Twitter Facebook Google + Pinterest LinkedIn Email 24 Nov 2020 18:22:00 GREVIO publishes its first … The Istanbul Convention, which Poland ratified in 2015, attributes violence against women to the historical inequality between men and women, and defines gender as “socially constructed roles”. His views are not alone in the Polish government, with president Andrzej Duda winning re-election earlier this month after a vicious campaign hinged largely on his opposition to LGBT+ rights. Disquiet over the Istanbul convention are more widespread than might appear. “A ‘third gender’ is not introduced by the convention, nor is there an obligation to recognise it. Homophobia, Zbigniew Ziobro said the document, known as the Istanbul Convention, was “harmful” because it required schools to teach children about gender. Poland is set to withdraw from the Council of Europe’s (CoE) landmark Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. If there are any misconceptions or misunderstandings about the Convention, we are ready to clarify them in a constructive dialogue. But since the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party came to power in 2015, it has said that it would withdraw the country from the treaty. Poland divided over plan to exit Istanbul Convention on domestic violence The country’s government said it agreed with measures on abuse but rejected ‘ideology’ on gender. Andrzej Duda., Homophobia has become a national issue, with more than 100 local regions – comprising nearly a third of Poland – declaring themselves LGBT+ free zones. Poland has pulled out of the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty on ending violence against women, after the country’s anti-LGBT+ justice minister claims it “justifies gay ideology”. Home / Twitter Facebook Google + Pinterest LinkedIn Email 30 Nov 2020 09:20:00 GREVIO publishes its first baseline report on Andorra Strasbourg 30/11/2020. Poland's Duda narrowly beats Trzaskowski in presidential vote, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. ordering a probe after IKEA fired an employee for saying gay people should be put to death. READ: These Are The Women Fighting Fascism In Eastern Europe "If there are any … The Istanbul Convention is the first instrument in Europe to set legally binding standards to combat gender-based violence. “Traditions and values are not under threat. Justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro is an extremist when it comes to LGBT+ issues, previously ordering a probe after IKEA fired an employee for saying gay people should be put to death. Zbigniew Ziobro, the Polish minister of justice and founder of the PiS spin-off Solidarna Polska, wants his country to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. “The word ‘gender’ does not replace the terms ‘women’ and ‘men’, nor does the convention promote any ‘gender ideology’. Poland has pulled out of the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty on ending violence against women, after the country’s anti-LGBT+ justice minister claims it “justifies gay ideology”. Poland’s highest court will evaluate the Istanbul Convention, a European treaty aimed at combating violence against women, which the country’s government considers too liberal. .css-14iz86j-BoldText{font-weight:bold;}Poland is to withdraw from a European treaty aimed at preventing violence against women, the country's justice minister announced on Saturday. The Istanbul Convention is the world’s first joint binding effort to fight and prevent violence aimed specifically at women, ranging from domestic violence to marital rape and female genital mutilation. The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party and its coalition partners are closely aligned to the Catholic Church, and the government has promised to promote traditional family values. The frequent fabrications have led the European Commission to produce a fact-checking booklet that challenges the claims about the treaty. US Pfizer Covid vaccine approved for emergency use, UK-EU talks continue as Navy boats put on standby, Trump's latest, legal longshot to challenge result, Covid: Homeless left struggling for shelter. The treaty has previously encountered similar attacks in Slovakia, where nationalist politicians claimed the document is “extreme liberalism” that promotes LGBT+ rights. Thousands of people, mostly women, took to the streets of the capital Warsaw on Friday to campaign against the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. Poland signed the Istanbul Convention for the prevention and combating of violence against women and domestic violence in 2015. The minister, who has previously described the treaty as “an invention, a feminist creation aimed at justifying gay ideology”, said Poland would start the process of withdrawal on Monday, claiming it violates the rights of parents and “contains elements of an ideological nature”. Thousands of women have protested at the move in cities across Poland. Law and Justice Party, .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Poland's Duda narrowly beats Trzaskowski in presidential vote, Polish election: Andrzej Duda says LGBT 'ideology' worse than communism, Supreme Court rejects Trump-backed election lawsuit. Instead, an alternative ‘Family Rights Convention’ has even been initiated in its place, which, in contrast to the Istanbul Convention, contains chapters on abortion and same-sex marriages. Poland divided over plan to exit Istanbul Convention on domestic violence The country’s government said it agreed with measures on abuse but rejected ‘ideology’ on gender. PiS has long complained about the Istanbul Convention, which Poland ratified under a previous centrist government in 2015. Celebs you didn’t know have an LGBT sibling. The Istanbul Convention, which entered into force in 2014, is a Council of Europe treaty that requires States parties to refrain from engaging in violence against women and to “take the necessary legislative and other measures to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, punish and provide reparation for” violence against women. Zbigniew Ziobro said the document, known as the Istanbul Convention, was "harmful" because it required schools to teach children about gender. In reality, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the Istanbul Convention) promotes protections for … The treaty is known as the Istanbul Convention and is the work of the Council of Europe, an intergovernmental human rights body. The convention does not regulate family life or structures and states do not have to change the traditional understanding of families. 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It was initiated by the Council of Europe in 2011, … States are only required to protect victims’ rights without discrimination on any grounds, including sex, race, religion, language, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”. President Andrzej Duda was re-elected earlier this month following a campaign in which he described the promotion of LGBT rights as an "ideology" more destructive than communism. According to the BBC, Ziobro cited “harmful” provisions in the treaty that require schools to teach about gender. Luca Volont è was an Italian parliamentarian from 1996 to 2013, and served as president of the PPE-CD at the Assembly of the Council of Europe. The European Commission document makes clear: “There is no threat to the concept of family. The treaty makes no mention of LGBT+ rights at all, apart from making clear that domestic violence survivors should be provided with support free from discrimination based on personal factors including sexual orientation. Ziobro, who just last week was making up claims that an EU budget deal would lead to the imposition of same-sex marriage in Poland to inflame opposition, is again fabricating a link between the international treaty and LGBT+ rights. The shock decision was announced by Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro on Saturday. Istanbul Convention, The Istanbul Convention is the first legally-binding instrument which "creates a comprehensive legal framework and approach to combat violence against women" and is focused on preventing domestic violence, protecting victims and prosecuting accused offenders. Expand The Istanbul Convention is an almost classic example of how the struggle against violence against women is strategically brought to the fore in order to promote a different agenda, since nobody would dare to contradict the main premise. Tags: Council of Europe european commission European Union Istanbul Convention LGBT+ Poland Religious Liberty. On Friday around 2,000 protesters assembled outside both the Labour Ministry and the office of Ordo Iuris, a conservative pressure group that has led the campaign in Poland against the Istanbul Convention. Zbigniew Ziobro, Enter your email to receive a daily roundup of the top LGBT+ news stories. © 2020 BBC. Read about our approach to external linking. Will Poland withdraw from Istanbul Convention? Publicly engaged for decades in the promotion of life, family and religious and educational freedom, Luca has … The moves for withdrawal from the convention have provoked protests in Warsaw. “Announcements by government officials that Poland should withdraw from the Istanbul Convention are alarming," she said. Commentators … The Istanbul Convention says that schools should teach about “equality between women and men, non-stereotyped gender roles, mutual respect, non-violent conflict resolution in interpersonal relationships, gender-based violence against women and the right to personal integrity”. The convention does not affect national civil law rules on marriage in any way. The treaty is a frequent target of homophobic ideologues – with Polish government minister Marcin Romanowski branding it “neo-Marxist propaganda that turns our value system upside down” and claiming “the way to fight violence is not to teach young boys that they can wear dresses and play with dolls”. Mr Ziobro said the government would formally begin the process of withdrawing from the treaty, which was ratified in 2015, on Monday. "The Istanbul Convention is the Council of Europe‘s key international treaty to combat violence against women and domestic violence - and that is its sole objective. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Poland has begun its preparation to withdraw from the European treaty, known as the Istanbul Convention (an initiative by the Council of Europe) which ensures protection of women from domestic abuse or violence. Poland, The nationalist Law and Justice Party minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, vowed to begin the process of withdrawing from the European treaty, ratified in 2015 under the previous government, which sets comprehensive standards to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. Gender ‘ideology’ the sticking point More: The lawsuit sought to invalidate results in four states where President Trump lost the US election. The Council of Europe has said it is alarmed that Poland’s rightwing government is moving to withdraw from a landmark international treaty aimed at preventing violence against women… Polish parliamentarians should fulfil their responsibility to hold the government accountable for implementing the standards they have subscribed to. He argued that the convention violated the rights of parents and "contains elements of an ideological nature". The Istanbul Convention is the Council of Europe‘s key international treaty to combat violence against women and domestic violence - and that is its sole objective. A delegation from the organization has been in Poland this week to assess Poland's adherence to the treaty. The convention only states that traditions, culture or religion cannot be used as a justification for acts of violence against women. Thousands of women protested against the move to cities in Poland. 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