STRASBOURG - Leaders from the Caribbean territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands recently participated in a conference on the Istanbul Convention, hosted by Tanja Gonggrijp, the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Council of Europe. The Istanbul Convention, focused on preventing violence against women and girls and combating domestic violence, was ratified by the Netherlands in 2015 but has only been applied to European Netherlands. The Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, including the CAS countries (Curaçao, Aruba, and St. Maarten) and the BES islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba), are now exploring their inclusion.
The Caribbean delegation engaged in a series of workshops, including sessions led by the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, and visited the European Court of Human Rights. Special emphasis was placed on preventing violence against women, collecting data on such violence, providing support services for victims, conducting risk assessments, and implementing offender rehabilitation programs.
Delegates also attended presentations by the Dutch Ombudsman and the Istanbul Secretariat of the Council of Europe, which included insights into the work of GREVIO, the Group of Experts on Action Against Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. GREVIO monitors the implementation of the Istanbul Convention and offers technical support to member states.
The Council of Europe, an intergovernmental organization with 46 member states, aims to promote human rights, the rule of law, and democracy across Europe. This visit, facilitated by the Dutch Ministries of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Health, Welfare, and Sport, represents a significant step in strengthening the Kingdom’s commitment to combat violence and uphold human rights in all its territories.