It is time for an unreserved and full implementation of the
Istanbul Convention

press report

Today, June 21, 20, refugees worldwide are being commemorated for the 2022st time. More than 80 million people are fleeing the world, with more than 2021 in Europe alone in 500.000^[1] People protection from war, poverty and hardship. The war in Ukraine is currently dominating the debates about accepting refugees in Germany. The majority of women and children are currently fleeing Ukraine. They report on cruel experiences in the country and on the run.

These and other experiences are also shared by the many refugee women who have fled war and crisis regions such as Afghanistan, Ethiopia or Sudan. These women seek protection from violence in Germany. But can the federal government actually offer them this protection?

Since February 2018, the Istanbul Convention has been considered a milestone for the protection of women affected by violence in Germany. Germany is also obliged to implement the Istanbul Convention and thus protect ALL women. The full and unconditional implementation of the Istanbul Convention is part of the coalition agreement. But even a decision to implement it alone does not guarantee protection. Words must now be followed by deeds.

“The German asylum procedure and residence legislation are partially incompatible with the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. These laws need to be reformed, but above all politicians need to actually implement their coalition promises," said Dr. Delal Atmaca, Managing Director of DaMigra eV

Today, on World Refugee Day as on every other day of the year, DaMigra appeals to politics and society:

• The reservations according to IC Art. 59 Para. 2 and Para. 3 must be actively lifted as a matter of urgency
so that ALL women, including women who have fled, are independent of their residence permit
are protected.

• Gender-specific violence must be recognized as a reason for fleeing and finally included in the
applied in practice: This requires comprehensive further training for
all personnel who work at interfaces such as in healthcare, the
Counseling works or with asylum decisions, accommodation and care
of refugees is entrusted.

• The residence requirement and residence obligation must be lifted.

• The so-called marital status regulation § 31 Para. 1 S. 1 No. 1 AufenthG must without
fixed duration of a marriage apply, because violence knows no delay.

• The prohibition of refusal according to Art. 61 of the IC must be preserved, ie: The
For the protection of all women and girls, the federal government must issue a consistent ban on the deportation of women to war and crisis zones and countries.

Am July 06, 2022 invites DaMigra to a parliamentary breakfast in the Bundestag. Together with the Bündnis-Istanbul-Konvention we want to talk to politicians about the current situation of refugee women and girls affected by violence in Germany. The breakfast will be organized with the patron Filiz Polat MdB.

You can find more information on the topic here.

DaMigra eV represents the interests of women migrant organizations and their concerns and advocates equal opportunities, equal participation and the equality of women with a history of migration and refugee experience in Germany. DaMigra follows the approach of anti-racist feminism.

[1] See Statista survey (2021): Asylum seekers in EU countries under https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/459422/umfrage/asylbewerber-in-den-laendern-der-eu/

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