In a statement issued today, Marceline Naudi, President of GREVIO, called on Parties to the Istanbul Convention to uphold its standards during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Restrictions on movement offer abusers additional power and control over the women and girls they live with”.

Never before has the need been greater to ensure support services are available and that women and girls are informed of where to find help. “Many national administrations are rising to the challenges this pandemic presents to women victims of violence and are already working towards innovative solutions”, she said, calling on all Parties to follow in these footsteps.

Read the full statement

Statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Dubravka Simonovic, and other Special Procedures experts on the need to combat domestic violence in the context of COVID-19 lockdown