The Ratification of the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention by the EU : A Step Forward in the Protection of Women from Violence in the European Legal System

This article sets out the importance of the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, its impact in the European Union, and the need for its ratification by the transnational body. The author provides an overview of the Convention’s contents before examining contemporary EU treaties and policies that address women’s equality. The author traces out the legal basis for the EU’s ratification process in relation to the Convention, projects the impact that the convention will have, and notes the relationship that this Convention has with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The author acknowledges the legal ramifications of ratification and concludes by highlighting the potential legal use of Article 30 (2) of the Convention, which requires states to compensate victims of violence who suffer serious injury/impairment, in argument before both national and EU courts.