The Convention on the Prevention and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence signed

On January 22, 2013, Croatia became 26th Member State of the Council of Europe to have signed the “Convention on the Prevention and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence“. The Council of Europe adopted the Convention in April 2011 and its signing began during May in Istanbul. In March of last year, Turkey was not only the first country that has signed it, but also the only Member State of the Council of Europe, which has ratified this Convention. The Convention is the first legally binding European instrument in this area that identifies measures for prevention of all forms of violence and discrimination against women, including psychological, physical and sexual violence, stalking, forced marriage and female genital mutilation, and points to the connection between gender-based violence and gender equality.

Among the key areas of the Convention are prevention, protection, monitoring, criminal responsibility, and a set of policies and measures, which involve cooperation between governments, nongovernmental organizations, agencies, etc. The legal framework for the prevention of violence against women is focused on the work of non-governmental organizations and the media in campaigns aimed at raising awareness and promoting gender equality, victim assistance programs, and programs for work with perpetrators.

The Convention defines the offenses that Member States will be required to include in their legislative systems, and consequently criminally prosecute the perpetrators. Offenses include psychological and physical violence, sexual violence and rape, stalking, forced marriage, forced abortion and forced sterilization as well as female genital mutilation. Through this Convention, Croatia will for the first time introduce, in its legislative framework, genital mutilation as a form of violence against women. Besides women, victims under the Convention include men, children and the elderly.

Among the key areas of the Convention are prevention, protection, monitoring, criminal responsibility, and a set of policies and measures, which involve cooperation between governments, nongovernmental organizations, agencies, etc. The legal framework for the prevention of violence against women is focused on the work of non-governmental organizations and the media in campaigns aimed at raising awareness and promoting gender equality, victim assistance programs, and programs for work with perpetrators.

The Convention defines the offenses that Member States will be required to include in their legislative systems, and consequently criminally prosecute the perpetrators. Offenses include psychological and physical violence, sexual violence and rape, stalking, forced marriage, forced abortion and forced sterilization as well as female genital mutilation. Through this Convention, Croatia will for the first time introduce, in its legislative framework, genital mutilation as a form of violence against women. Besides women, victims under the Convention include men, children and the elderly.