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Opposition parties urge promulgation of Istanbul Convention
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The opposition Socialists have called on Hungary’s political parties and politically active civil groups to support the promulgation of the Istanbul Convention on preventing domestic abuse and combatting violence against women in Hungary while green LMP has called on the government to “do everything it can” for its ratification.
Zita Gurmai, head of the women’s chapter of the Socialist Party and party lawmaker Ildikó Borbély Bangó told a press conference on Saturday marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women that the issue “must not fall prey to political battles”.
On this subject, it should not matter where one stands on the political spectrum, Gurmai said. One-fifth of women in Hungary are victims of sexual abuse, she added.
On average, one woman dies every week and one child every month as a consequence of domestic violence, she said.
Gurmai said it was “unacceptable” that the government was idle on this issue. She said the reason why the government had not ratified the Istanbul Convention was because it would mean that Hungary’s institutional system would also have to change. It would also mean that the police and the prosecution would have to learn how to be more effective in cases concerning violence against women.
“But this cannot be an excuse in a country that has money for stadiums, moving government offices and billions to spend on having swimmers jump into the Danube,” Gurmai said.