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<p>The Government takes its international commitments very seriously and we have always
been clear on our commitment to ratify the Istanbul Convention.</p><p> </p><p>The
Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Ratification
of Convention) Act 2017 requires Ministers to publish annual reports on their progress
towards being able to ratify the Convention. The most recent report was published
on 31 October 2019 and is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/843509/CCS0919132732-001_Istanbul_Convention_2019_Report_Option_A_Web_Accessible.pdf</p><p>
</p><p>Legislation needs to pass before we can ratify the Convention, so at this stage
we cannot be sure what the timeframe for ratification will be. When this is clear
we will set out a timeframe for ratification. The Domestic Abuse Bill had its Second
Reading on 28 April and has now begun Committee stage for detailed scrutiny by MPs.
Part 6 of the Bill includes provisions for the purposes of Article 44 of the Convention,
which requires that criminal courts in the UK have extraterritorial jurisdiction over
certain violent and sexual offences. Additionally, the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings
Bill currently before the Northern Ireland Assembly provides for a new domestic abuse
offence which would criminalise psychological violence in Northern Ireland, as required
by Article 33 of the Convention. That Bill also takes extraterritorial jurisdiction
in respect of the new offence and so, together with the provisions of Part 6 of the
Domestic Abuse Bill, will ensure that the law in Northern Ireland meets the requirements
of Article 44.</p>
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