Thank you for contacting me about Turkey and the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, otherwise known as the Istanbul Convention.
The UK accords a high priority to advancing gender equality and women's rights across the world. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials regularly raise gender issues, including violence against women and girls (VAWG), in multilateral fora, such as the UN and Council of Europe, and directly with countries where concerns exist.
I, too, am disappointed that the Turkish Government decided in 2021 to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, of which the UK is also a signatory and continues to be committed to. Considering Turkey was the first country to ratify the Istanbul Convention and had taken steps to align its own national legislation with the it, its withdrawal is all the more disappointing. Ministers at the FCDO urged the Turkish Government to reconsider its decision in March 2021, and have continued to do so since as part of a wider effort to encourage it to abide by its international commitments.
The UK ratified the Istanbul Convention while applying two reservations, including one on Article 59, which relates to support for migrant victims of domestic abuse. HM Government applied a reservation on Article 59, which nine other countries have also done, to enable ratification as soon as possible.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.