Many Turkish people against Istanbul Convention mistake it for Montreux Convention: Poll

Duvar English

Turkish people who support withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, which aims to combat violence against women, mistake it for the Montreux Convention, a poll has revealed.

According to the poll carried out by Turkey Report in 12 provinces and 1,537 people, some 52 percent of the participants didn't know the content of the Istanbul Convention, 39.5 percent opposed withdrawing from it and around 9 percent supported withdrawing.

Those against the convention were then asked about the reason for why they have such stance.

While a number of participants said that the convention leads to an increase in divorces, makes men suffer, worsens the current situation and is against the traditions and moral principles in Turkey, the rest was seen to be mistaking it for Montreux Convention of 1936.

Introduced in 2011 and ratified in parliament in 2012, the Istanbul Convention specifically targets violence against women and obliges ratifying countries to prevent gender-based crime, provide adequate protection and services for victims and assure the prosecution of perpetrators.

Turkey’s conservative and Islamist circles have been criticizing it because they believe that it is damaging family values and challenging conservative understanding of gender identities.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) brought the issue to its agenda, saying that it may withdraw from it "since it harms the family institution and encourages homosexuality."

Women's rights groups, however, point to the increasing number of violence against women and femicide cases, saying that it would be a grave mistake to withdraw from the convention.