Kvinnojouren Jämtlands Iän NGO has finalised a communication and advocacy project on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in Sweden. The project, implemented from March to October 2025, was one of four initiatives selected under the call for proposals and funded by the Council of Europe programme “Ending violence against women: multi-country programme”.
The project aimed to raise awareness of the Istanbul Convention in small and remote communities of Sweden, strengthen knowledge of its legal and political significance and promote a gender perspective in combatting violence against women. Its campaign used the methodology developed by the Council of Europe Gender Equality Division, Women Against Violence Europe Network (WAVE) and UN Women.
Kvinnojouren engaged around 850 participants directly, while its outreach and visibility activities reached several thousand people, including the general public and decision-makers. The project initiated meaningful dialogues and addressed widespread knowledge gaps. Activities included:
- a county-wide summer outreach tour with a branded bus, covering 2 350 km across towns, villages and rural communities
- engagement with decision-makers through the SocSam regional network of social services and committee chairs
- participation in large-scale public events hosting thousands of visitors
- a weekly social media campaign
According to Elin Karlsson, one of Kvinnojouren’s dedicated volunteers, “meeting people where they are – across long distances and in the small communities of our large, sparsely populated region – reminded us how much women’s rights matter in everyday life. Many told us they had never heard of the Istanbul Convention before, and that our presence made a real difference."
