Much Esteemed Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr
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Vienna, 23rd April 2018 Much Esteemed Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, We, the undersigned 1166 NGOs from 42 Member states of the Council of Europe1, are writing to express our shock and concern at the challenge made to the universal recognition of discrimination and inequality as the causes and consequences of violence against women and girls and its inclusion in the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention). This challenge was made in a letter sent to you recently by 333 NGOs in 9 Member states of the Council of Europe. We believe that the recommendations in this letter directly undermine the prevention and protection of women and girls from all forms of violence. WAVE has been working in the field of combating violence against women and girls and implementing women’s human rights since 1994, and we are deeply committed to universal principles of gender equality and women’s human rights. We strongly affirm our full support for the Istanbul Convention as well as its monitoring Committee GREVIO and we totally reject any call to subject the core provisions of the Convention to reservations. We recognize the Istanbul Convention as the most comprehensive regional and international tool combating gender based violence against women and domestic violence. We strongly believe that ratification and the full implementation of the Istanbul Convention will significantly reduce women’s vulnerability to violence and facilitate a more equal and fairer society for everyone. We do this in solidarity with other organisations, including the European Women’s Lobby, who have also expressed concern at the above-mentioned letter. Yours sincerely, Stephanie Futter-Orel, Executive Manager of the European Network Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE), with the support of the WAVE board and the following organisations: 1. !Via Beratung und Treff für Mädchen und Frauen, Germany 2. OUT OF CIRCLE - VOJVODINA, Serbia 3. 17+ Alevi Kadınlar (17+ Alevi Women), Turkey 4. 360 Association, Switzerland 5. A.GE.D.O. – Bologna, Italy 6. A.GE.D.O. – Ragusa, Italy 7. A.L.E.G., Romania 1 27 of these countries have ratified the Istanbul Convention and 13 have signed it. Several NGOs in Belarus and Kosovo have also signed this letter. 1 8. A.O. Femeia pentru Viitor (Ungheni), Moldova 9. A.O. Onoare și Drepturile Femeii Contemporane (Bălți), Moldova 10. Accueil Femmes Solidarité, France 11. ACORUS, Czech Republic 12. Action Aid Italia – Roma, Italy 13. ADALEA, France 14. ADAVAS-León, Spain 15. Aditus, Malta 16. Agir contre les violences faites aux femmes (ACV2F), France 17. Agnodice Foundation, Switzerland 18. Agritra-Vision Center, Albania 19. Agro-ecological certification of Kyiv region, Ukraine 20. AIDM – Associazione Italiana Donne Medico – Roma, Brescia, Italy 21. AIDOS - Associazione Italiana Donne per lo Sviluppo, ONLUS, Italy 22. AIED – Roma, Italy 23. AIEM, France, France 24. Akcja-Obejmiemy Polskę Kręgiem Kobiet, Poland 25. AKDAM - Adana Kadın Danışma Merkezi ve Sığınma Evi Korunma Derneği (Adana Women’s Counseling Center and Shelter Association), Turkey 26. AKTO - Direitos Humanos e Democracia, Portugal 27. Alefpa Martinique Rosannie Soleil, France 28. Aliancia žien - Cesta späť (Alliance of Women - Way Back), Slovakia 29. Aliancia žien (Alliance of Women), Slovakia 30. Alice Cooperativa sociale onlus - Percorsi di Libertà-Prato, Italy 31. All for family, Romania 32. All Ukrainian Public Organization “Democratic Action”, Ukraine 33. AMCV - Associação de Mulheres Contra a Violência, Portugal 34. AMILIPS- Asociación de Mujeres Integradoras para Lograr la Igualdad Psicosocial, Spain 35. Amnesty International Magyarország / Hungary, Hungary 36. Anafatma Kadın Danışma Derneği (Ana Fatma Women’s Counseling Assosication), Turkey 37. ANAIS, Romania 38. Angus Women’s Aid, Scotland, UK 39. Antalya Kadın Danışma ve Dayanışma Merkezi (Antalya Women’s Counselling and Solidarity Center), Turkey 40. Anti-Violence Network of Georgia, Georgia 41. AOI – Associazione ONG Italiane -Roma, Italy 42. APAFED, France 43. APAV - Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima, Portugal 44. APEM - Associação Portuguesa de Estudos sobre as Mulheres, Portugal 45. APERIO – společnost pro zdravé rodičovství, Czech Republic 46. APIAF, France 47. APMJ - Associação Portuguesa de Mulheres Juristas, Portugal 48. Apriori, Moldova 49. Arbeitskreis Emanzipation und Partnerschaft, Austria 50. Archinaute Genova, Italy 51. ARCI nazionale –Roma, Italy 2 52. ARELIA, France 53. Argyll and Bute Women’s Aid, Scotland, UK 54. ARIADNE Frauen für Frauen, Germany 55. Armonie - Bologna, Italy 56. Artemida NGO, Moldova 57. ASADE, Spain 58. Asile LGBT Genève, Switzerland 59. Asociación Andrea, Spain 60. Asociación Clásicas y Modernas para la igualdad de género en la cultura, Spain 61. Asociación de Investigación y Especialización sobre Temas Iberoamericanos -AIETI-, Spain 62. Asociación de mujeres GAURKO ANDREAK BERDINTASUNAREN ALDEKO ELKARTEA, Spain 63. Asociación de Mujeres Marcela Lagarde, Spain 64. Asociación de Mujeres Valdés Siglo XXI, Spain 65. Asociación Feminista Leonesa “Flora Tristán”, Spain 66. Asociación Feminista Tiemar, Spain 67. Asociación Gitanas Feministas por la Diversidad, Spain 68. Asociación Lunes Lilas, Spain 69. Asociación Terapia y Género, Spain 70. Asociația Femeilor Antreprenoare din Moldova-AFAM, Moldova 71. Asociația Împotriva Violenței în Familie- Casa Mărioarei, Moldova 72. Asociația Psihologilor Tighina, Moldova 73. ASPEKT, Slovakia 74. Associação de Mulheres Sem Fronteira, Portugal 75. Associação Dignidade, Portugal 76. Associação Fernão Mendes Pinto - AFMP, Portugal 77. Associação ILGA PORTUGAL, Portugal 78. Associação Mulheres Século XXI, Portugal 79. Associação Plano I, Portugal 80. Associação Portuguesa pelos Direitos na Gravidez e no Parto, Portugal 81. Associação Projecto CRIAR, Portugal 82. Associação Quebrar o Silêncio, Portugal 83. Associação Ser Mulher, Portugal 84. Associació de Planificació Familiar de Catalunya i Balears, Spain 85. Associació Dones Eucadores de les Illes Balears, Spain 86. ASSOCIACIÓ HÈLIA, de suport a les dones que patexien violència de gènere, Spain 87. Association Centre Dinamika, Bulgaria 88. Association découvrir, Switzerland 89. Association des foyers de l'oiseau bleu CHRS l'Eau vive, France 90. Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women, Macedonia 91. Association for Equal Opportunities “Semper” - Bitola, Macedonia 92. Association for Legal Intervention (Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej – SIP), Poland 93. Association for Local Rural Development – Kamenjane, Macedonia 94. Association for promoting gender equality “Akcija Zdruzenska”, Macedonia 95. Association for Promotion of the Status of Women in Macedonia "Women's Action" – Radovish, Macedonia 96. Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family, Cyprus 3 97. Association Louise Michel, France 98. Association of Albanian Women – Kichevo, Macedonia 99. Association of Citizens "Sirma" – Kumanovo, Macedonia 100. Association of Citizens "SUMNAL", Macedonia 101. Association of Citizens “Florence Nightingale” – Kumanovo, Macedonia 102. Association of Hungarian Sex Workers (Szexmunkások Érdekvédelmi Egyesülete – SZEXE), Hungary 103. Association of Social Workers of the City of Skopje, Macedonia 104. Association of Women "Femina" Smederevska Palanka, Serbia 105. Association Skalbes, Latvia 106. Association SOS Helpline for Women and Children, Slovenia 107. Association Viol-Secours, Switzerland 108. Associazione “donne insieme“– Napoli, Italy 109. Associazione Adesso Donne 3.0.-Bergamo, Italy 110. Associazione Aiuto Donna Uscire dalla Violenza-Bergamo, Italy 111. Associazione Al tuo fianco onlus-Messina, Italy 112. Associazione Alzaia onlus-Taranto, Italy 113. Associazione Amica Donna onlus-Chianciano Terme (SI), Italy 114. Associazione Ananke onlus- Pescara, Italy 115. Associazione Arcidonna Napoli onlus-Napoli, Italy 116. Associazione Artemisia onlus-Firenze, Italy 117. Associazione Attivamente Coinvolte-Tropea, Italy 118. Associazione Belluno - Donna onlus-Belluno, Italy 119. Associazione Casa della Donna-Pisa, Italy 120. Associazione Casa delle donne contro la violenza onlus-Modena, Italy 121. Associazione Casa delle donne Maltrattate onlus-Milano, Italy 122. Associazione Casa delle Donne onlus-Viareggio (Lucca), Italy 123. Associazione Centro antiviolenza di Parma -Parma, Italy 124. Associazione Centro Donna Giustizia-Ferrara, Italy 125. Associazione Centro Donna Lilith-Latina, Italy 126. Associazione Culturale Mara Meoni - Siena, Italy 127. Associazione culturale Rinoceronte Incatenato – Fiano Romano (RM), Italy 128. Associazione Da Donna a Donna – Sesto S. Giovanni, Italy 129. Associazione Da donna a DONNA onlus-Ronchi dei Legionari (Gorizia), Italy 130. Associazione Demetra -Donne in aiuto-Lugo, Italy 131. Associazione di donne Galassia – Lombardo Corsico (MI), Italy 132. Associazione di Promozione Sociale contro la violenza sulle donneme.dea onlus- Alessandria, Italy 133. Associazione Differenza Donna ong- Roma, Italy 134. Associazione Donatella Tellini -L'Aquila, Italy 135. Associazione Donna chiama Donna onlus-Siena, Italy 136. Associazione donne contro la violenza Onlus-Crema, Italy 137. Associazione Donne e giustizia onlus-Ancona, Italy 138. Associazione Donne in Genere ONLUS - Centro donna L.I.S.A.-Roma, Italy 139. Associazione Donne Insieme Val d'Elsa onlus-Colle Val d'Elsa (Siena), Italy 140. Associazione DonneInsieme "Sandra Crescimanno"-Enna,