Ankara, Nov 26 (IANS): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said here that Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention does not undermine his government's commitment to its stand against gender based violence.

Calling violence against women a 'betrayal of humanity' at an event on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Erdogan said it is Turkey's primary duty to ensure that "those who commit violence against women must face the punishment they deserve," Xinhua news agency reported.

In response to claims that Turkey's convention withdrawal has weakened the government's stance on the matter and to calls for the country to rejoin the convention, Erdogan said there is 'no causal link' between withdrawing from the 'ideological debates' and Turkey's 'resolve' and 'efforts' in this struggle.

"Despite withdrawing from the convention, Turkey is one of the few countries to have addressed this issue comprehensively through its national legislation," he said.

Turkey was one of the first signatories of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, otherwise known as the Istanbul Convention, in 2011.

The country formally pulled out from the convention on July 1, 2021, under a presidential decree issued in March last year. Erdogan said then that his country's domestic regulations are sufficient to combat violence against women.