Istanbul Convention: Poland to leave European treaty on violence against women

News: Poland has decided to withdraw from Istanbul Convention- a treaty aimed at preventing violence against women.

Facts:

• Istanbul Convention: It is also known as the Council of Europe convention on combating and preventing violence against women and domestic violence.
• When was the convention adopted? It was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in 2011.It came into force in 2014.
• What does the convention say? The convention sets minimum standards for governments to meet when tackling violence against women.When a government ratifies the Convention, they are legally bound to follow it.
• Members: As of March 2019, it has been signed by 45 countries and the European Union.

Additional Facts:

• Council of Europe: It is an international organisation whose aim is to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.
• Members: The council was founded in 1949 and it has 47 member states,27 of which are members of European Union(EU).However,the organisation is distinct from the EU.