The Council of Europe project “Advancing gender equality, strengthening justice and support for women in Georgia” is supporting the Georgian stakeholders to develop programmes for perpetrators of sexual violence crimes, in line with Article 16 of the Istanbul Convention. A comprehensive baseline study will be carried out to assess the Georgian context, including the existing legal, institutional and policy frameworks, available resources, professional capacities and prior experience relevant to the development and implementation of such programmes. The study will also identify key gaps and provide practical recommendations for the effective design and implementation of programmes in Georgia, including within penitentiary and probation settings.

To further support these efforts, the project has also translated into Georgian the “Guidance for safe and effective perpetrator programmes: Article 16 of the Istanbul Convention.” The study provides an overview of existing models and approaches to perpetrator programmes, highlights promising practices and common challenges, and offers practical recommendations for policy-makers, service providers and practitioners to establish safe and effective programmes in line with the standards of the Istanbul Convention.

Programmes for perpetrators are an important element in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. By encouraging perpetrators to take responsibility for their actions and change violent behaviour, such programmes aim to reduce re-offending and enhance the safety and well-being of victims.

The initiative is organised in the framework of the project “Advancing gender equality, strengthening justice and support for women in Georgia”. The Project is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027.