In Latvia Today, 15:062 The campaign will try to dispel politicians’ myths about the Istanbul Convention

From the point of view of the organization, the events of the last few weeks in Latvia have highlighted the need to prioritize the fight against violence against women, and therefore to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, or the Istanbul Convention. The “Marta” Center, by starting the campaign, has created informative material that explains the confusing questions about this convention.

Today, the center will send this material to the members of the Saeima, and also invites other residents of Latvia to download and send this information to the members of the Saeima and municipalities. “Marta” believes that it is the responsibility of politicians and officials to explain these myths to voters and the public, and not to obey them.

“Every day that state officials hesitate to ratify this internationally recognized tool to fight violence is a day that creates an environment in which victims of violence lose trust in state institutions. Every such day, the threat to the lives of women and children continues to grow,” the center says.

The mission and sole purpose of the Istanbul Convention is to eliminate violence against women and domestic violence, thereby promoting gender equality. Therefore, all the obligations imposed on the member states of the Istanbul Convention refer only to the scope of application of the Istanbul Convention according to its task and purpose.

Myth 1: The Istanbul Convention is a foreign document imposed on us by Europe

Fact: Latvia was one of the authors of the Istanbul Convention. Ratification, which is the last step after signing and which would make the convention binding, will also be a decision of the Latvian authorities. Latvia has been a member of the Council of Europe since 1995. In 2011, Latvia participated in the preparation of the Istanbul Convention as a member of the Council of Europe.

Myth 2: Latvia already has laws against violence, and a convention is not needed

Fact: With the ratification of the convention, preventing and combating violence is no longer a matter of the will of individual politicians, but a legal obligation of the state under international law. Ratification involves changing laws, implementing practical measures and securing funding to achieve zero tolerance for violence against women and domestic violence. Furthermore, the Convention makes it clear that violence against women and domestic violence can no longer be considered a private matter and that States must take a stand and take measures to prevent violence, protect victims and punish perpetrators.

Myth 3: The term “gender” will introduce new genders in Latvia

Fact: Any convention is adapted to local language and legal terminology. The concepts of “gender” and “gender equality” already exist in Latvian legislation. Gender equality is enshrined in the Constitution as one of its basic principles. Equal rights for men and women are also guaranteed by Latvian legislation and international conventions to which our country has joined. In addition, the term “gender” does not replace the terms “women” and “men” used in the Convention.

Myth 4: The Istanbul Convention will regulate family life or structure and destroy the traditional Latvian family

Fact: The purpose of the Convention is not to regulate family life or family structure. The Convention does not contain a definition of the term “family” and does not establish or promote any specific type of family relationship. The Istanbul Convention aims to end violence against women and domestic violence. The purpose of the convention is to break the silence about domestic violence that causes suffering among victims, including children. The real threat to families is the violence itself, not measures to protect and support its victims.

Myth 5: The Istanbul Convention conflicts with religious traditions in Latvia

Fact: The Convention does not interfere with religious norms. But it emphasizes that culture, custom, religion or tradition cannot serve as an excuse for violence. The Istanbul Convention has been ratified by several countries with strong religious traditions, including Serbia, Greece, Cyprus, Montenegro, Georgia, Spain, San Marino, Italy and Poland. It is worth remembering that according to our Constitution, the church and religious organizations in Latvia are separate from the state. At the same time, everyone in Latvia has the right to freedom of thought and religion.

Myth 6: The convention will introduce same-sex marriages in Latvia

Fact: The Istanbul Convention does not regulate or define marriage or cohabitation in any way and does not require laws to establish legal recognition of same-sex couples. As mentioned above, the sole purpose of the convention is to eradicate violence against women and domestic violence, thereby promoting gender equality. Many countries that do not recognize same-sex marriage have already ratified the convention.

Myth 7: The Convention will introduce the terms ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ in Latvia

Fact: The Istanbul Convention does not require laws to define gender identity and sexual orientation. The above terms are included in the convention only with the aim of not using a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity as a pretext to justify violence. This is already in accordance with the Latvian Constitution, which stipulates that “human rights are exercised without any discrimination”. In Latvia, the prohibition of discrimination in connection with sexual orientation or gender identity also follows from the Criminal Law (Article 150, first part), the Asylum Law (Article 28, third part), the Treaty on the European Union (Article 19), the Victims’ Directive (introduced in 2015) , the problem of the 2016 report of the UN Special Rapporteur against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment.

Myth 8: The convention will introduce same-sex marriages in Latvia

Fact: The Istanbul Convention focuses on women because it covers forms of violence that only women suffer (forced abortion, female genital mutilation) or that women face much more often than men (sexual violence and rape, stalking, sexual harassment, domestic violence , forced marriage, forced sterilization). However, the Convention encourages its provisions to be applied to all victims of domestic violence, including men and children.

Myth 9: The Convention promotes the intervention of other countries in the educational process of Latvia

Fact: The Istanbul Convention considers education to be an important aspect of preventing violence against women, as attitudes, beliefs and behavior patterns are formed very early in life. However, the Convention allows countries the flexibility to decide when and how to address issues of gender equality, mutual respect and non-violence in formal or non-formal educational institutions. The aim is to promote the development of the natural talents and abilities of girls and boys and to expand their educational, professional and life opportunities.