International Law and Violence Against Women Europe and the Istanbul Convention

This book offers an in-depth and critical analysis of the Istanbul Convention, along with discussions on its impact and implications. The work highlights the place of the Convention in the landscape of international law and policies on violence against women and equality. The authors argue that the Convention with its emphasis on integrated and comprehensive policies has an important role in promoting equality, but they also note the debates on “genderism” that the Convention has triggered in some member states. The book analyses central concepts of the Convention, including violence, gender and due diligence. It takes up major commitments of the parties to the Convention, including support and services to victims, criminal law provisions and protection of migrant women against violence. The book thus makes a major contribution to the development of national laws, policies and practice. It provides a valuable guide for policy-makers, students and academics in international human rights law, criminal and social law, social policy, social work and gender studies.

Introduction:The Istanbul Convention as a Response to Violence against Women in Europe,Johanna Niemi, Lourdes Peroni and Vladislava Stoyanova; Part I:Context and Role; 1 -The Istanbul Convention in the Context of Feminist Claims,Lorena Sosa; 2 -Unleashing the Gender Equality Potential of the Istanbul Convention,Lourdes Peroni; 3 -The Istanbul Convention as an Interpretative Tool at the European and NationalLevels,Sara De Vido; Part II:Concepts; 4-The Concepts of Gender and Violence in the Istanbul Convention,Johanna Niemi and Amalia Verdu Sanmartin; 5 -Due Diligence versus Positive Obligations: Critical Reflections on the Council of Europe Convention on Violence against Women, Vladislava Stoyanova; Part III:Criminal Law Responses; 6 -The Istanbul Convention on Sexual Offences: A Duty to Reform the Wording of National Law or the Way We Think?Minni Leskinen; 7 -Exploring Intersectionality: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in the Istanbul Convention,Ruth Mestre i Mestre; 8 -Forced Sterilisation in the Istanbul Convention: Remedies, Intersectional Discrimination and Cis-Exclusiveness,Daniela Alaattinoglu; Part IV:Victim Services; 9 -The Right to Adequate Housing of Battered Women: The Added Value of the Istanbul Convention?Ingrid Westendorp; 10 -Support to Battered Women in Sweden: Non-profits and Public Authorities Collaborating, Counteracting and Competing,Ulrika Andersson and Sara Bengtson; Part V:Migration and Asylum; 11 -Protection beyond Victimization: The Significance of the Istanbul Convention for Migrant Women,Fulvia Staiano; 12 -Gender-Based Violence against Women and International Protection Needs: The Contribution of the Istanbul Convention,Dolores Morondo Taramundi; Part VI:National Responses to the Convention; 13 -The Istanbul Convention in Poland: Between the “War on Gender” and Legal Reform,Katarzyna Sekowska-Kozlowska; 14 -Reservations and Declarations under the Istanbul Convention,Wojciech Burek;

Johanna Niemi, Professor of Procedural Law, University of Turku, FinlandLourdes Peroni, Human Rights Lecturer, Sheffield Hallam University, UK Vladislava Stoyanova, Associate Professor, Lund University, Sweden