Apr 1, 20211 min read

IPG Releases Statement on Turkish Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention

The Iraq Project for Genocide (IPG) released on March 28, 2021 a statement condemning Turkey's decision to withdraw from The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, best known as the Istanbul Convention.

The statement notes the following:

"This convention, like all of those aimed at eliminating discrimination and violence against women, are essential for full social development, the construction of more just societies, and the prevention of genocide. Leaving half of the population without legal protection in the face of entrenched systemic violence can facilitate the social and political developments that lead to gross human rights violations and international crimes.

"The links between misogynist violence and genocide are clear. Genocidal processes entrench misogynistic attitudes and practices, but they are also fueled by them. The intentional rejection of women’s human rights paves the way for society-wide radicalization that can be directed against Others of all genders and sexes.

"At the Iraq Project, we are committed to preventing genocide and this implies the full respect of human rights, taking into consideration social, ethnic, national, and religious diversity. Therefore, we consider the withdrawal from this international document to constitute one more step towards a path of discrimination, exclusion, authoritarianism and human rights violations in Turkey and its regions of influence.