A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) is carrying out its follow-up evaluation visit to Montenegro from 4 to 8 March 2024, focussing on the theme “Building trust by delivering support, protection and justice.” This visit is one of the steps in the 1st thematic evaluation round to monitor the implementation by Montenegro of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).

The 1st thematic evaluation round aims to address how national laws and policies in parties build trust, deliver support, and provide access to justice for women victims of violence, based on the questionnaire adopted by GREVIO on 13 October 2022. The visit will enable the delegation to obtain more in-depth information on the implementation of select provisions in the areas of prevention, protection, prosecution and co-ordinated policies, where the baseline evaluation report on Montenegro and the conclusions on the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention have revealed challenges and the need to take additional measures.

During the visit, the GREVIO delegation will be meeting with representatives from different ministries and public bodies, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Police Department, Social Welfare Centres from different regions of the country, a health facility, public prosecutors and judges. In addition, the GREVIO delegation will be meeting with representatives of non-governmental organisations, civil society and independent bodies working in the area of violence against women.

GREVIO plans to publish its 1st thematic evaluation report on Montenegro at the end of 2024.