Open letter to Philip Hammond MP, Foreign Secretary

Friday February 20th, 2015

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, WEN Wales has written to Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, to request that the UK Government ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).

Click here to download your copy of the letter to sign & send in support of this campaign >>>

16 February 2015

Dear Secretary of State,

Re: Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention)

The above Convention is based on the understanding that violence against women is a form of gender based violence committed against women because they are women. The Convention leaves no doubt that there can be no real equality between women and men if women experience gender based violence universally.

The Convention, which focusses on prevention, protection, prosecution and monitoring, is seen globally as a leading instrument in the protection of women against violence and abuse. Twenty two countries in the Council of Europe, and beyond, have ratified the Convention which came into force on the 1 August 2014.

The UK Government has shown its commitment to the principles of the Convention by signing it.

Now is the time for the UK Government to ratify the Convention.

The undersigned organisation request that the UK Government do so forthwith.

International Women’s Day on 8 March provides the UK Government with the ideal opportunity to announce its ratification of the Convention.

Thank you in anticipation of your action; we look forward to the formal announcement of the UK Government’s ratification of the Istanbul Convention.

Yours Sincerely,

Monika Borkowska and Sarah Rees

Co-Chairs, The Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales

CC. Theresa May, Home Secretary
Simon Hughes, Justice Secretary
Theresa Villiers, Secretary of State Northern Ireland
Alistair Carmichael, Secretary of State Scotland
Stephen Crabb, Secretary of State Wales
Peter Robinson, First Minister Northern Ireland Executive
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister Scottish Parliament
Carwyn Jones, First Minister Welsh Assembly
Baroness Judith Jolly