Effective prevention and response to violence against women and domestic violence rely on accurate, comprehensive, and coordinated data. However, fragmented, and inconsistent data collection has long hindered a realistic assessment of the phenomenon, limiting the ability of institutions to respond effectively.

A significant step forward has been achieved with the adoption by the Government of the Republic of Moldova of the set of national indicators in the field of preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. This development establishes a unified framework that will strengthen data collection, reporting, and analysis across all relevant institutions.

The set of indicators was developed at the initiative of the National Agency for Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and with the support of the Council of Europe project “Supporting the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova- phase II”. It introduces a standardised and mandatory approach applicable to all institutions with responsibilities in this field.

The approved indicators cover the entire cycle of cases of violence against women and domestic violence, from reporting and intervention by the authorities, through criminal investigation and court proceedings, to the enforcement of sanctions and victims’ access to specialised support services. Once integrated into the Information System “VioData State Register”, the indicators will serve as a key tool for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting, including in the development and assessment of public policies.

This development marks an important step in the Republic of Moldova’s efforts to align with European standards and contributes to the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).