On 21 and 22 February 2019, several working meetings were held within the framework of the project "Co-operation on the implementation of the Russian Federation National Action Strategy for Women (2017–2022)" at the Council of Europe Programme Office in Moscow.

The project focuses on exchanging best practices and experience in the areas of preventing and combating violence against women and increasing women’s participation in public and political life. The national strategy runs until 2022 and the Project, which is co-funded by the EU and the Council of Europe, runs from November 2018 to May 2020.

The Executive Committee and Project Board discussed and approved the project activities and work plan with the project partners. The meetings were attended by

• Alexey Vovchenko, First Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection and his staff, members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation
• the project team and staff from the Gender Equality Division of the Council of Europe and from the Council of Europe Programme Office in Russia
• the Delegation of the European Union to Russia

Consultations were also held with a series of Russian NGOs which have a particular interest in focus areas of the project. Contributions from NGOs are taken into account when planning project activities.