[London, 20 November 2016] On 16 December, the UK has an unique opportunity to make sure the Government fulfils its promise to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and girls, the Istanbul Convention. It is an opportunity to change Herstory for all women and girls in the UK – and to change the individual stories of women and girls across the UK who face violence every day.
The member organisations of the UK Joint Committee on Women, the European Women’s Lobby Co-ordination in the UK, are supporting the IC Change Campaign. The Campaign is working to make sure the Government follows though its commitment to make the Istanbul Convention Law in the UK. The Private Members Bill has been introduced by Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP. A Private Members Bill is a proposal to change the law, and like any other Bill needs to be agreed by Parliament. This means that other MPs must attend a debate about it and vote to support it.
It requires at least 100 MPs need to attend the debate and vote on 16 December for the Bill to successfully pass to the next stage.
The 16 December is on a Friday morning – a time when many MPs would normally be in their local constituencies. That’s why the IC Change Campaign is working hard to get as many people as possible to take action and get in touch with MPs to tell them why it’s so important to show up and support the Bill on 16 December.
You can read more about the IC Change Campaign and the Private Member’s Bill here.
