Malta commits to full implementation of Istanbul Convention

Minister Helena Dalli, together with other ministers and state secretaries from Italy, Albania, Turkey, Portugal and Spain, has presented a joint declaration on the tackling of violence against women during a conference co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earlier today.

The conference marked the entry into force of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

Malta actively participated in the formulation of the convention, and efforts were made to ensure that the country became one of the first member states to ratify it. The convention will already be enforceable in Malta as of 1st November 2014.

Minister Dalli welcomed the entry into force of the Istanbul Convention and reiterated that violence against women, in all its forms, is a serious violation of human rights. She reiterated that states have a responsibility to address this form of violence and to uphold human rights. 

Dr Dalli expressed commitment to the full implementation of the Istanbul Convention “in order to effectively protect women against all forms of violence and ensure that such violence is never tolerated.”

Urging other Council of Europe member states, non-member states, as well as the European Union, to become Parties to the Convention, she expressed hope that the implementation and monitoring of the Istanbul Convention will effectively fill existing gaps in the protection of women's human rights and the protection of  children, men and elderly victims of domestic violence.