Hungary Rejects Treaty On Violence Against Women

By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News reporting from Budapest, Hungary

(Worthy News) – Rights group Amnesty International has condemned the Hungarian parliament’s rejection of an international treaty to combat violence against women amid a coronavirus pandemic. “This decision is extremely dangerous,” said David Vig, Amnesty’s Hungary director. “It comes at a time when reported domestic violence incidents in Hungary have doubled since the start of the [new coronavirus] COVID-19 lockdown” to halt the virus outbreak.

Vig referred to pro-government legislators who refused to ratify the Istanbul convention. The treaty is the world’s first binding instrument to prevent and combat violence against women, from marital rape to female genital mutilation. Spearheaded by the Council of Europe, Europe’s top rights body, the agreement was presented for ratification in 2011. It was eventually signed by a majority of European Union member states, including Hungary in 2014.

But Hungary’s Parliament in Budapest, which has one of the lowest proportions of female lawmakers in Europe, refused to ratify the agreement. Legislators backed a declaration by the rightwing government that the Istanbul convention promotes “destructive gender ideologies” and “illegal migration.”

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party claims that all guarantees to protect women from domestic violence are already in Hungarian legislation. Vig disagrees. “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the government had failed to adequately prevent and combat violence against women, with a shameful record of investigations and prosecutions.”

Fidesz also rejects references in the Istanbul convention to “gender” and to obligations to receive refugees persecuted over sexual orientation or gender. Hungary is one of the most vocal anti-migration nations in Europe, citing concerns about an influx of Muslims. The country also prepares legislation that would make it impossible for transgender people to receive recognition. Earlier, its constitution was changed to define marriage as an exclusive union between a man and a woman.

Latest Worthy News