Holding the Line: The Istanbul Convention at 15

Fifteen years after the Istanbul Convention was first opened for signature in May 2011, the treaty stands as one of the most comprehensive international framework for preventing and combating violence against women and girls. Despite its positive impact, the Convention is increasingly facing political and ideological pushback from anti-gender movements, conservative political actors, and disinformation campaigns that deliberately misrepresent its purpose and provisions. 

Increasing politicisation of the Convention reflects a broader global trend in which women’s rights are being contested to reverse gains in gender equality and undermine international human rights frameworks. 

Latvia’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, amid a sea of misinformation

Misleading narratives have contributed to stalled ratifications and mounting calls to reject the Convention, particularly in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, and nowhere more so than in Latvia.

In October 2025, Latvia’s Parliament voted to withdraw, just a year after lawmakers formally ratified the treaty in January 2024. The vote triggered widespread condemnation, with many warning withdrawal would weaken protections for women and girls and set a dangerous precedent as the first EU member state to exit a major international human rights treaty, with implications far beyond Latvia’s borders.

Latvia’s President Rinkēvičs refused to sign the withdrawal bill and returned it to Parliament for further review. MPs have one year for amendments, with further consideration postponed until after national elections in October 2026. Read ‘What’s happening in Latvia with the Istanbul Convention?’ for more details.

Webinar: Holding the Line: The Istanbul Convention at 15

Join Equality Now’s Tamar Dekanosidze and Shivangi Misra, alongside Dubravka Šimonović and Beata Jonite, to hear their insights on:

• The purpose and significance of the Istanbul Convention as a legally binding human rights instrument;
• Debunking disinformation and misrepresentation undermining support for the Convention in Latvia and elsewhere;
• Harms that could result from withdrawal and how opposition to the Convention fits within broader efforts to roll back women’s legal rights and the growing anti-gender movement.

Speakers

• Moderator: Shivangi Misra (Global Legal Advisor, Equality Now)
• Speaker: Dubravka Šimonović  (International human rights expert and former CEDAW Chairperson and member)
• Speaker: Tamar Dekanosidze (Associate Director, Ending Gender-Based Violence, Equality Now)
• Speaker: Beata Jonite (Head of Advocacy and Policy Coordination, Centrs MARTA)