AUCCRO issues an official statement against Istanbul Convention

The convention does not solve the problem of domestic violence, assures the Council. Photo: vrciro.org.u

On December 2, 2021, the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations issued a statement in view of the intention of the Office of the President to submit to the Verkhovna Rada a bill ratifying the Istanbul Convention. Representatives of the AUCCRO called the Convention ideologically biased and a threat to society. In a statement published on the official website of the AUCCRO, the Council of Churches opposed disregard for the very fact of the existence of biological sexes and, as a consequence, the promotion of same-sex sexual relations.

"Our concern about the introduction of gender ideology through the Istanbul Convention is heightened by evidence of violence against girls and women by men who have declared a change in their gender and received the right to use women's toilets, locker rooms and showers. As an example, in 2021, a high-profile incident occurred in Virginia, USA, when a 15-year-old schoolgirl was sexually abused by a transgender guy who used the school's girls’ restroom with the permission of the administration," the statement says.

 In its statement, the AUCCRO called for action against domestic violence in law, as is the case in European countries that have already eschewed the adoption of the convention – GB, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Armenia and Turkey.

The statement also says that with the assistance of the AUCCRO in 2017, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law № 2227-VIII, aimed at implementing the provisions of the Istanbul Convention, bypassing contradictory concepts such as "gender" and "gender identity". Criminal liability for domestic violence and other crimes was introduced alongside the mechanism of restrictive measures and regulations against offenders. In addition, a special Law of Ukraine "On Prevention and Counteraction to Domestic Violence" was adopted, which testifies to the possibility for Ukraine to go its own way and develop its own legislation, which may appear better than the Istanbul Convention."

The Council called on the President and the Government of Ukraine, as well as human rights organizations to engage in dialogue and joint action to combat domestic violence in the country.

As the UOJ previously reported, on Thursday, December 2, the Council of Churches discussed a number of issues, including the possible ratification of the Istanbul Convention, with the government officials.

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