An Analysis of the Status and Effectiveness of the Istanbul Convention in the International Protection of Women: With Emphasis on State Obligations, the GREVIO Monitoring Mechanism, and Its Implications for the Iranian Legal System

Abstract

Protecting women against violence, discrimination, and harms arising from inequality constitutes one of the principal concerns of the international human rights system. Violence against women not only violates human dignity and the right to personal security but also seriously restricts women’s enjoyment of fundamental rights, including the rights to life, physical and mental health, access to justice, social participation, and a life free from fear. Within this framework, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, commonly known as the Istanbul Convention, has assumed a prominent position in the development of legal protections for women. By adopting a comprehensive approach, the Convention seeks not merely to punish perpetrators but also to establish a range of preventive, protective, judicial, educational, and institutional measures aimed at reducing violence and ensuring effective support for victims. The present study examines the status of the Istanbul Convention within the international system for the protection of women and analyzes its development, human rights foundations, implementation mechanisms, and degree of effectiveness. The findings indicate that, by emphasizing human dignity, the right to security, the prohibition of discrimination, and the necessity of women’s access to effective protective mechanisms, the Istanbul Convention constitutes one of the most significant binding instruments in the field of women’s protection. By imposing specific obligations on states concerning the prevention of violence, the protection of victims, the establishment of shelters and counseling services, the guarantee of access to justice, and the monitoring of compliance with treaty obligations, the Convention provides a relatively comprehensive model for the legal and humanitarian protection of women. Nevertheless, its effectiveness depends on the genuine implementation of state obligations, the reform of domestic legislation, the training of executive and judicial institutions, the provision of support services, and the promotion of public awareness. Accordingly, the Istanbul Convention may be regarded as a significant instrument for strengthening the international protection of women, whose principal objective is to ensure a safer, more equitable, and more dignified life for women and to protect them effectively against violence and structural harms.