Ukraine's parliament has ratified the Istanbul Convention, which protects women's rights to immunity and prevents all forms of violence, including domestic violence.
Ratification was a prerequisite for obtaining EU candidate status. Undoubtedly, ratification is a signal not only for Europe but also, first of all, for the women of Ukraine.
"The Convention will be applied under the norms and principles of the Constitution of Ukraine and is not binding on amendments to the Constitution or the Family code regarding women and men, family values, marriage, family, and adoption. Finally, the situation in Ukraine will be assessed by external experts who monitor the implementation of the Istanbul Convention and can provide advice and recommendations that lead to better violence prevention, protection of victims, and criminal prosecution of perpetrators," MP Oleksandr Merezhko.
The tools of the concept include international cooperation in the protection of women in any country and prosecution of violators in the cross-border area. Thus, a woman receives protection and assistance outside the jurisdiction of her country, as she is in the dimension of the protection of the Istanbul Convention.
In the pre-war period, about 1.8 million Ukrainian women suffered from domestic violence each year. Many of these women have been killed, and the perpetrator often attributes the murder to jealousy or alcohol intoxication. Ratification of the Istanbul Convention will create a space in Ukraine where women will not be frightened to return home, where mothers will not be afraid for their daughters, where daughters will no longer have to hide bruises on their faces.
