Latvia took another step: the Istanbul Convention was ratified

During the final reading, the Latvian Parliament approved the Istanbul Convention with 51 votes.

Latvia also legalized same-sex partnerships a little earlier.

Lithuania has not yet legalized the partnership and has not ratified the Istanbul Convention.

As the ruling coalition intended, the Convention was approved with the stipulation that during its implementation, Latvia will apply the values, principles and norms established in the Constitution, especially related to the protection of human rights, equality between women and men, protection and promotion of the rights of marriage, family, parents and children.

The Istanbul Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month three months after the date of deposit of the instrument of ratification.

VIDEO: Latvia has ratified the Istanbul Convention

The debate on the Istanbul Convention, which lasted about five hours without a break, was dominated by opposition criticism both of the “risks” of the text and of the choice of colleagues, mainly Greens and Peasants, to support it anyway.

Creators and supporters of the convention say it provides new tools to curb violence against women. For example, a country can use advice from experts overseeing the implementation of the convention and good practices from other countries.

The Catholic Church and other critics fear the obligation to include teaching about “non-stereotypical gender roles” in everyone’s education, as the latter include homosexuality and transsexuality, which they say may be alien to parents’ values.

Lithuania remained the only one

Head of the Lithuanian Human Rights Center Jūratė Juškaitė told 15min that this move by Latvia sends a very clear message.

“I congratulate the Latvian Saeima on making an important political decision and ratifying the Istanbul Convention. Ratification sends a very clear message both to Latvian residents and to people watching Latvia from abroad, as well as to Western countries, that Latvia considers violence against women and gender-based violence to be a gross violation of human rights.”

Berta Tilmantaitė/Director of the Human Rights Center Jūratė Juškaitė

According to her, this proves that the neighboring state is ready to fight systematically, using all the latest and most important practices tested in other countries.

“Unfortunately, another fact is that Lithuania remains the only one of the three Baltic countries that has not yet ratified the convention. This should be embarrassing for Lithuanian politicians, and at the same time, this step sends a signal that, nevertheless, Lithuania should leave the club of countries that have not ratified the convention, make a political decision and tell both the Lithuanian public and the Western countries that are watching us that violence against women in this country, gender-based violence is considered a gross violation of human rights”, commented J. Juškaitė.

She drew attention to the fact that, upon ratifying the convention, the Latvian Saeima emphasized that it would abide by it on the condition that it does not conflict with the country’s Constitution.

“Previously, the Constitutional Court specifically stated that the convention does not raise any contradictions with the Constitution. I think it was a political move to appease the public, which in reality basically has no legal or any other meaning, except for communication.”

According to J. Juškaitė, the example of other countries shows and Latvia will show in the same way that, after the ratification of the convention, the world does not collapse.

“This will demonstrate that those apocalyptic ideas, which are often talked about as happening in countries that have ratified the convention, will apparently not come true in Latvia either. I wish politicians in Lithuania who are hesitant about the Istanbul Convention or are hostile to it to assess their own responsibility, the fact that they should contribute to the reduction of domestic violence and violence against women in general, and make the right decision – to contribute to the ratification of the Istanbul Convention”.

Concerned about education

The Lithuanian bishops’ conference believes that due to the Istanbul Convention, Lithuania may have to change the concept of gender and introduce some morally unacceptable attitudes about homosexuality.

“Of particular concern are the (…) provisions that oblige signatories to include teaching materials on “non-stereotypical gender roles” in educational programs at all levels of formal education, as the latter may include, among other things, homosexuality and transsexuality.

The attempt to connect the noble goal of preventing violence with the introduction of provisions that are alien to both the Lithuanian education system and the moral values ​​of many parents creates a precedent that causes reasonable concern,” the Lithuanian bishops’ conference commented on the convention a few years ago.