Landmark treaty to combat violence against women

A landmark treaty has been adopted by the Council of Europe as the first legally binding instrument in the world to provide protections to prevent and combat violence against women. The Human Rights Commission supported this treaty during its development and also urged the UK Government to back it at the Council of Europe.
Northern Ireland Chief Commissioner for Human Rights’ Professor Monica McWilliams’ said:

‘The Human Rights Commission welcomes this treaty which provides a full set of protections to prevent’ prosecute and eliminate all forms of violence against women. In Northern Ireland the extent of domestic and sexual violence is of such concern that the Commission has demanded the ratification of the treaty by the UK Government when it is opened for signature on the 11 May.’

Further information
For further information please contact Claire Martin’ Press and Public Affairs Worker: (028) 9024 3987.
Notes

1. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is an independent statutory body first proposed in the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement (1998) and established in 1999 by the Northern Ireland Act (1998). It is answerable to Parliament at Westminster.
2. The Committee of Ministers adopted on 7 April 2011 the text of a new Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. The text is available here. An explanatory report is available here.
3. The Convention which is also open to non European countries’ will be open for signature on 11 May 2011.