We believe that the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, 25 October 1980 must be reviewed, as it may not protect women fleeing abuse nor the children they are seeking to protect.

In our view, this convention is outdated and does not recognise domestic abuse, coercive control, economic abuse or child safeguarding. We believe that many parents fleeing domestic abuse are “branded” as abductors, and end up losing their children under the 1980 convention. 75% of the parents who are brought before the courts are mothers. We therefore call for a review of the convention framework, and of the support provided to the parents brought before the courts.