No: 261, 22 September 2015

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, which was opened for signature in İstanbul in 2011 when Turkey assumed the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, entered into force on 1 August 2014. Turkey was the first country to sign and ratify this Convention, known as the İstanbul Convention.

H.E. Ambassador Erdoğan İşcan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to the Council of Europe is presently the Chair of the Committee of the Parties to the İstanbul Convention.

The first meeting of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), independent monitoring body of the İstanbul Convention, is being held in Strasbourg on 21-23 September 2015 and Prof. Dr. Ayşe Feride Acar, independent expert from Turkey, has been unanimously elected as the President.

Turkey is actively contributing to and pioneering the international efforts in the field of protection and improvement of the rights of women, strengthening the status of women as well as combating violence against women and domestic violence. Turkey will continue to make its contributions in this field within the framework of the Council of Europe mechanisms, as well.