Speaking on the International Day to Eliminate Violence against Women, PACE President Rik Daems has urged the 47 Council of Europe parliaments to translate a key handbook on ending gender-based violence into their official languages.
PACE’s handbook for parliamentarians on the Istanbul Convention, published in 2019, gives practical examples of how MPs can press for ratification of the Convention – the ground-breaking international treaty setting out laws and practices for helping victims and punishing perpetrators – as well as encourage governments to implement it, and counter misinformation about it.
“I am pleased to announce that, with the support of the President of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D’Hose, this guide will be translated into Dutch, alongside Belgium’s two other official languages of French and German,” said the President. “But I hope this will just be the beginning. It is obvious that the impact of a handbook like this is much greater when it is in one’s native language.”
“Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Istanbul Convention. It would send a powerful message if, to mark the occasion, the parliaments of our member States, as well as observer and partner States, were to make this guide available in their languages. I very much hope they will.”
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There will be a presentation on the handbook at a meeting of the Assembly’s “Women free from violence” parliamentary network on 14 December.
PACE