Joint dialogue on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention organised by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

An event dedicated to the Istanbul Convention took place at the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. Entitled „Joint dialogue – Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence from ratification to implementation”, it was organised on the platform of the Committee on Foreign Policy and European Integration in collaboration with UN Women Moldova, National Coalition „Life without Domestic Violence” and with financial support from Sweden.

The event was organised on the occasion of the entry into force of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova on May 1st, 2022. Thus, the dialogue brought together MPs, Government representatives, development partners and international community, as well as civil society representatives. The dialogue highlighted the necessity of joined efforts in the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, so that women and girls from Moldova could live a life free of domestic violence.

„The most important is to coordinate all efforts. That is why we believed it was necessary to gather at this roundtable, to share our opinions, to see what are the views and commitments to be assumed by all of us. Unfortunately, violence is a reality in our country. According to statistical data, every third woman is subject to this form of abuse at home. In this context, it is our duty to take actions, via laws, public policies and raising awareness in the society to prevent and combat this phenomenon”, the president of the Committee on Foreign Policy and European Integration, Doina Gherman, stated.

„In terms of the Istanbul Convention, now the hard work begins to go from ratification to implementation. All of us understand that it is a process and that it will take time. Nevertheless, it is very important to have a process targeted on real local needs and having an inclusive and multi-sectorial approach during the whole designing and implementation phase. An efficient institutional framework, good and participatory monitoring system and updated national statistics is needed to build strong national ownership and to ensure that none is left behind”, Her Excellency, Katarina Fried, the Ambassador of Sweden in Chisinau, said.

”No matter how powerful the Convention may be as a standard, the signature and ratification of the Istanbul Convention is not the end in itself. It is a call to action: for governments to design and implement the effective policies, for parliaments to be continuously engaged in reviewing legislation and monitoring the effectiveness of the measures taken, and for local authorities, civil society, media, private sector and many other actors to actively participate in the prevention efforts and adequate response to violence against women”, William Massolin, the head of Council of Europe Office in Chisinau, mentioned.

„UN Moldova Country Team supports the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and the way forward in the implementation of its 4 pillars: prevention, protection, prosecution and integrated policies", Dima Al-Khatib, the UN Moldova resident representative, mentioned.

„An essential element of the implementation of the Istanbul Convention is the investment in feminist organisations, and we do appreciate this dialogue. We strongly beleive that focusing on real needs of women victims of violence and survivors of violence, as well as on service providers, will ensure an efficient implementation” Veronica Teleuca, the president of the National Coalition „Life without Domestic Violence”, stated.

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention, is the most far-reaching international legal instrument to set out binding obligations to prevent and combat violence against women. The Istanbul Convention recognises violence against women as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women. Based on a victim-centred approach, it offers practical tools to ensure the protection of women and girls, their safety and empowerment. It links these to the wider goal of achieving equality between women and men. The Republic of Moldova has ratified the Istanbul Convention in October 2021, the Convention coming into force on May 1st 2022.