The Path towards Armenia's Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence

The Council of Europe project aims at strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders involved in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, protecting the victims and prosecuting the perpetrators of violence as well as advancing gender equality.

The project builds on the achievements of the previous project “Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in Armenia”. The Council of Europe focuses on providing information and knowledge about relevant European standards, in particular the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) and its implications for national policy and legal frameworks. The project gives timely support for the implementation of the recently adopted law on domestic violence in Armenia and paves the way for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in Armenia.
The project will contribute to the following specific outcomes outlined in the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Armenia for 2019–2022:
- Armenia is better prepared for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention
- The Armenian legal and policy framework on preventing and combating domestic violence is in line with Council of Europe standards
- Women victims of gender-based violence and domestic violence, including the most disadvantaged, have better access to justice and support services
The project's long-term impact aims that women in Armenia benefit from gender equality and protection against all forms of violence against women.
The project aims to:
- Enhance the knowledge of law enforcement and legal professionals, as well as journalists and other stakeholders on the law on domestic violence and European standards, notably the Istanbul Convention, as they deal with the cases of domestic violence and violence against women
- Strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, public officials and social workers to apply European standards (notably the Istanbul Convention) as they implement the law on domestic violence and provide support for women victims of violence against women
- Support gender sensitivity in education by assisting in the development of curricula, courses and materials for primary and secondary schools

The project is implemented by
the Capacity Building and Co-operation Projects Unit at the Council of Europe's Gender Equality Division
Larissa KIREEVA, Project Manager
together with
the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan
Liana AMIRBEKYAN, Senior Project Officer
Anna SAHAKYAN, Project Officer
Knarik NAZARYAN, Project Assistant

Ministry of Education of the Republic of Armenia
The Academy of Justice of the Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Police of the Republic of Armenia
The Human Rights Defender's Office the Republic of Armenia
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia


Donors contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019–2022 (currently Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein and Norway)

- Co-operation projects
- HELP online course on violence against women and domestic violence
- Co-operation Newsroom
- Co-operation with the EEA and Norway Grants
- PGG: Strengthening access to justice for women victims of violence (2015-2018)
- PGG II: Women's Access to Justice (2019-2022)
- Preventing and Combating Violence against Women in Armenia (2018)
- The Path towards Armenia's Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
- Raising Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutional capacity to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence (2019)
- Preventing and Combating Violence against Women in Georgia (2018-2019)
- Reinforcing the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in Kosovo* (Phase II), 2019 -2021
- Co-operation on the implementation of the Russian Federation National Action Strategy for Women 2017–2022 (2019-2020)
- The Istanbul Convention: a tool to advance in fighting violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine (2018-2020)
- Co-operation with Southern Mediterranean countries
- Promoting an Integrated Approach to End Violence against Women and Enhancing Gender Equality in Georgia (2020-2022)
- Awareness-raising Activities on the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova (2020-2021)
- Fostering a comprehensive institutional response to violence against women and domestic violence in Turkey
- Raising awareness of the Istanbul Convention and other gender equality standards in Azerbaijan
- Combating Violence Against Women in Ukraine (COVAW)
- Contact us -coop projects
- Reinforcing the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in Kosovo* (phase III)
- Cooperation for the implementation of the Russian Federation National Action Strategy for Women: applying best practices
- Fostering women’s access to justice in Türkiye
- Supporting the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova
- Ending violence against women: multi-country programme
- Raising awareness of the Istanbul Convention: methodology and toolkit for civil society organisations