News
Police and Investigative Committee of Armenia advance joint response to domestic violence
A Council of Europe workshop held on 21 July 2026 brought together representatives of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee of Armenia to strengthen their joint response to domestic violence. The event advanced inter-institutional co-operation aimed at...
Experts discuss legal and institutional responses to domestic violence in Azerbaijan
Responding effectively to domestic violence takes more than good laws: it requires strong co-operation between institutions, consistent implementation on the ground, and ongoing exchange of good practice. Bringing together national institutions and international expertise offers a chance to take...
GREVIO workshops strengthen evidence-based reporting on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Representatives of institutions and co-ordination bodies from across Bosnia and Herzegovina strengthened their capacities to prepare comprehensive and evidence-based responses for the first thematic evaluation round of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic...
Building bridges for women's access to justice: Strengthening local cooperation
Improving women's access to justice begins long before a case reaches a courtroom. It starts with institutions communicating effectively, understanding one another's roles and working together to ensure that women can receive the support they need, without having to navigate complex systems...
Republika Srpska and Brčko District law enforcement further strengthen skills to address technology-facilitated violence against women
A second training session was organised for 15 law enforcement representatives from Republika Srpska and Brčko District in Sarajevo from 13 to 15 July 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional responses to technology-facilitated violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina....
Shaping the next generation of lawyers to combat digital and sexual violence against women
A Regional Summer School for law students brought together 30 law students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo1, addressing digital and sexual violence against women. It was held in Trebinje from 6 to 10 July. Participants were introduced to the...
Council of Europe Recommendations on AI and technology-facilitated violence against women and girls are now available in Ukrainian
Two recent recommendations adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 4 March 2026 have been translated in Ukrainian. They address the problems posed to gender equality and non-discrimination, and the increase in violence against women and girls, by the structure of new technologies: CM/Rec(2026)1...
Council of Europe presents new Recommendation on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls at OECD meeting
The Council of Europe presented its newly adopted Recommendation on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls during the OECD Forum on Gender Equality 2026. Speaking at a session on Tackling gender-based violence in the digital age against women public figures...
Advancing Gender Equality Through Values-Based Communication: a new Practical Guide to deflect anti-gender rhetoric
Rhetoric questioning gender equality is increasingly used as a tool to fuel mistrust in democratic institutions and to polarise societies. To support authorities, communicators, and civil society to counteract these divisive narratives, the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Commission has...
Council of Europe’s Gender Equality in Education Scorecard (GESC) Working Group
On 29-30 June 2026, the fourth meeting of the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality in Education Scorecard (GESC) Working Group was held in Strasbourg and online. The session brought together experts, members of the Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU) and the Gender Equality Commission (GEC),...
Council of Europe study examines protection from violence of women with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities in the Republic of Moldova
In the Republic of Moldova, women with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities remain largely invisible within the system designed to prevent and respond to violence against women and domestic violence. Evidence shows that women with disabilities are two to five times more likely to experience...
Professionals explore ways to strengthen coordination and referral mechanisms for victim support in Azerbaijan
Effective coordination and referral mechanisms are important for ensuring that victims of violence against women and domestic violence receive protection and timely, appropriate and continuous support. As victims often interact with multiple services, cooperation among professionals and...
Armenian stakeholders discuss ways to close gender data gaps in access to justice for women
Across the Eastern Partnership region, there is increasing recognition that gender-sensitive justice reform depends on better data. Where information on women's experiences in the justice system is incomplete or inconsistent, policymakers have limited tools to respond effectively. Representatives...
Advancing Women’s Access to Justice in the Western Balkans: Reflections on the Spanish experience
On 9-10 June 2026, mentors of the second cohort of the Mentoring Programme for Legal Professionals on Women’s Access to Justice took part in a study visit to Madrid, Spain. The mentors came from all six project beneficiary countries in the Western Balkans. The study visit, hosted by the Ministry...
Council of Europe launches new Recommendation on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls
On 10 June, the Council of Europe launched Recommendation CM/Rec(2026)2 on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg and online. The Recommendation was prepared jointly by the Gender Equality Commission (GEC) and the Council...
From accountability to change: facilitators trained to work with perpetrators of violence against women
The Council of Europe project “Aligning Laws and Policies with the Istanbul Convention” supported the Ministry of Justice in delivering specialised training for facilitators from the Kosovo Correctional Service on the implementation of the National Programme for the Treatment of Perpetrators of...
Multi stakeholders dialogue on the Gender Equality Strategy implementation in Ukraine
On 13 May 2026, more than 150 representatives from various ministries, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, and academia took part in a roundtable presenting the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2024–2029 to Ukrainian stakeholders and discussing its implementation in...
Ukrainian civil society supports the implementation of the Istanbul Convention
The charitable foundation Sylni (Sylni) has completed an awareness-raising project on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in Ukraine. The action entitled “Stop to violence: raising...
Toward effective perpetrator programmes in line with European standards
On 2 and 3 June 2026, the Council of Europe, in co-operation with the European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence (WWP EN), organised a conference in Budapest, Hungary: “Toward effective perpetrator programmes in line with European standards: Bridging policy, practice...
Council of Europe supports safe and dignified voluntary return of women and girls to Ukraine
The Council of Europe has recently published the guide, “Safe and dignified: Gender-sensitive voluntary return strategies for Ukraine”, to assist Ukraine in developing gender-sensitive voluntary return procedures, focused on the needs of women and girls affected by violence or at risk. It...
