The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention.

This is a human rights treaty of the Council of Europe against violence against women and domestic violence, which was opened for signature on 11 May 2011, in Istanbul, Turkey.

MP Andrii Osadchuk said on Facebook that the convention was supported by 259 MPs.

The adoption of the Istanbul Convention is considered a signal ahead of the EU summit on Ukraine’s readiness to implement the necessary reforms. For joining the EU, such decisions are a ‘marker of civilization’.

On Ukraine’s path to EU candidate status, the adoption of the Istanbul Convention was important for the Netherlands and Sweden. The document promotes and protects the right of people to a life free from violence and prohibits all forms of discrimination against women.