Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, John Brady TD, has called on the Irish government to join his call for the Turkish government to rescind its decision to leave the 2011 Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.

Teachta Brady said:

“The 2011 convention, which is known as the Istanbul Accord, and was ratified by Turkey in 2012, is an import step in the attempt to end violence against women.

“The Accord addresses key issues such as: child marriage, domestic violence, female genital mutilation and marital rape. 

“I implore the Turkish government to change its decision to withdraw from this convention. This convention is an important step in getting the rights of women recognised as human rights.

“Within Turkey, which has been a candidate for membership of the EU since 2005, there is strong opposition from conservative forces to the principle of gender equality.

“There have been a number of EU countries that have either left or refuse to endorse the convention, including: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia. Countries like Ireland, a member of the UN Security Council, committed to liberal values, to the promotion of gender equality, needs to take a lead within the EU in defending EU values.”