Secretary General welcomes Ukrainian Parliament’s approval of Istanbul Convention

Council of Europe Secretary General, Marija Pejčinović Burić, has made the following statement today:

"As women and girls are particularly vulnerable during the conflict, I warmly welcome the approval by the Ukrainian Parliament of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). This is a huge step forward in protecting women and girls from all forms of violence, whether in Ukraine or abroad.

I commend President Zelenskyy, Deputy Prime Minister Stefanishyna, the members of the Verkhovna Rada, particularly Ms Mezentseva, Head of the Delegation to our Parliamentary Assembly, for having shown, once more, leadership and courage, and for following up on our earlier discussions on this topic, the last of which on 9 May during my visit to Kyiv."

Ukraine will become the 36th State to have ratified the Istanbul Convention.