Stefanishyna hopes that Ukraine will ratify Istanbul Convention in 2022

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna hopes that Ukraine will ratify the Istanbul Convention in 2022.

She stated this in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"The extensive experience of non-ratification of the Convention gives us an understanding of which instruments are not effective. On the other hand, we have done several important things that bring us closer to ratification, and we will continue this work in 2022. In particular, we have formed reservations to the Convention, which will be submitted for ratification. These reservations are the quintessence of all discussions with various parties, and with the conservative wing of society, with the religious community, and with the expert community. They assume that the provisions of the Convention do not affect the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine, that the Convention does not address any issues of gender ideology or identity, and, accordingly, these reservations remove differences in the provisions of the Convention itself," said Stefanishyna.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, she received a letter from the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, in which a formal explanation of the content of the convention itself was provided on behalf of the EU.

"This letter confirms that the Convention has nothing to do with gender identity, which concerns only the possibility of protecting victims of domestic violence, it provides additional tools for international cooperation and protection of our citizens abroad. In addition, it allows Ukraine to become an object of European monitoring," Stefanishyna added.

She also said that ratification was supported by both the government and the president. The relevant draft law must be submitted to parliament.

"At the same time, I, as the Deputy Prime Minister who coordinates this process in the government, believe that the right time should be chosen for ratification. At the beginning of 2022, we will focus on the communication campaign, working with the parliamentary corps, and will spend the first half of the year under the auspices of establishing a consensus on ratification and further introduction of the law in parliament," the Deputy Prime Minister added.

Answering a question, Stefanishyna said that the Istanbul Convention should be ratified this year.