Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office urges Latvia to uphold commitments amid Istanbul Convention exit plans

Saara-Sofia Sirén, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Gender, expresses deep concern over the Latvian Parliament’s decision to advance an initiative to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention.

The Latvian Parliament has taken a step forward with an initiative aimed at withdrawing the country from the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, commonly known as the Istanbul Convention. Alarmingly, the proposal received sufficient support to pass the first ballot stage. If Parliament approves the withdrawal in a second vote, Latvia would become the first EU member state to leave the Convention.

“A decision like this represents a serious setback for women’s rights and for efforts to combat violence,” Sirén says.

The Istanbul Convention is the first legally binding instrument in Europe designed to protect women from violence. It obliges states to prevent violence, protect victims, and hold perpetrators accountable.

“The safety of women and girls, their right to protection and to a life free from violence, must not be used as tools in political games. I urge Latvia to uphold its shared international commitments,” Sirén concludes.