Today, the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) published its baseline evaluation report on the Republic of Moldova.
The report contains a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the provisions of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova. It acknowledges the steps taken by the country to comply with the treaty and identifies areas where progress is still needed.
GREVIO highlights several positive legal and policy measures taken by Moldovan authorities, which demonstrate the country’s commitment to the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. These positive developments include the improvement of the Moldovan legislative framework so that it aligns with the standards of the Istanbul Convention, and the support provided to a large number of women and children fleeing the war in Ukraine. The establishment of the first sexual assault centre in the country is also a very positive step towards improving the protection of victims of sexual violence and rape.
However, GREVIO has observed a number of issues where improvement is warranted in order to reach higher levels of compliance with the requirements of the Convention. GREVIO raises concerns, for example, about the tendency to rely on international donors for the funding of essential services for victims of violence against women, the insufficient number and geographical distribution of shelters catering to women victims of violence and their children, and the insufficient attention paid by the justice system to violence against women in decision-making processes on custody and visitation rights.
