Working with LI Vice President on the Bureau, Baroness Kishwer Falkner, of LI full member Liberal Democrats, a delegation of the International Network of Liberal Women (INLW) has set out some of the actions necessary to implement the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women, in a meeting at the House of Lords on Tuesday 22nd July.
Women’s rights is one of three core pillars defining the LI Human Rights Committee’s work and as such the principles underpinning the Istanbul Convention were adopted by global liberals in a resolution presented to the 59th Congress of Liberal International. The delegation from LI full member INLW, which was led by Baroness Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk, who is also the INLW president, spoke of the importance of states in Europe, and beyond, implementing the terms of the Convention to combat gender-based violence around the world.
Baroness Falkner, who is also the Liberal Democrats’ spokesperson on foreign affairs in the House of Lords, offered to highlight the importance of this fight for global liberals by putting a question before parliament, encouraging other liberal parliamentarians to follow her example.
The LI Vice President also took the opportunity to discuss with INLW the possibility of the next Secretary General of the United Nations being a woman when the current incumbent’s term expires in 2016.
Joining Baroness De Vos was INLW treasurer, Marianne Morren, and a member of LI cooperating organisation, ALDE Party’s Gender Equality Network, Ms Flo Clucas, who has previously served as President of ALDE Group Committee of the Regions.
