Istanbul Convention

Poland Considers Leaving Treaty on Domestic Violence, Spurring Outcry

The Polish government, emboldened by a narrow election victory this month and undeterred by criticism from European Union leaders, is considering withdrawing from a treaty aimed at curbing domestic violence and protecting women’s rights, with the country’s minister of justice filing paperwork on Monday to start the process.

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Romania: Parliament bans theories of gender identity. Reactions: from "thinking police" to "it's like the Middle Ages"

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“When you tell me in an amendment to the Education Law that the identity between biological sex and gender should not be questioned, it means that you did not understand anything at all “

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Poland: Children raping children through sex education

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During the parliamentary debate it was evident that PiS wholeheartedly supports the ban on sex education in schools. Przemysław Czarnek called him "admirable". And Marcin Warchoł, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, argued that sex education leads to rape.

Bulgaria should counter harmful narratives endangering human rights and step up efforts to fight hate speech and domestic violence

“The government should step up its efforts to fight the hate speech prevailing today in Bulgaria in particular against Roma, LGBTI people and other minority groups” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, today after a 5-day visit to the country.

Armenian Parliament Refuses To Hear Bill Banning Same-Sex Marriage

Armenia's parliament has rejected consideration of a bill seeking to expressly outlaw same-sex marriages in the Caucasus nation. A majority of lawmakers on November 12 dismissed consideration of a draft law proposed by the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), saying it was redundant given that the country's constitution already defines marriage as a union between "a woman and a man."

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Breaking the Buzzword: Fighting the “Gender Ideology” Myth

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“This month we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To mark the occasion, we have asked Human Rights Watch experts to reflect on some of the key human rights challenges in their area of specialty.”

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Protests Over Istanbul Convention Occur Despite Treaty’s Stance Against Gender Based Violence

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Conservative organizations in these countries have leveraged both political pressure and public sentiment—in the form of protests—to combat ratification.