Evaluations are carried out on a country-by-country basis.  The procedure is triggered by GREVIO when it sends its questionnaire to the parties concerned (in accordance with its evaluation timetable).

The procedure aims to gather as much information as possible (see Steps 1 and 2 below) and is dialogue oriented (see Steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 below).

According to the timetable, it will take GREVIO 18 months to complete the full procedure, from sending the questionnaire to publishing the GREVIO report.

Step 1 - Reporting to GREVIO and information gathering

Requests for state reports are sent to state parties indicating the deadline for submission.

GREVIO begins to look into information from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), other members of civil society, national human rights institutions, Council of Europe bodies (Parliamentary Assembly, Human Rights Commissioner and other pertinent bodies) as well as other international treaty bodies. 

State reports are published on the Istanbul Convention website unless, following a reasoned request from the State, GREVIO decides otherwise.

Information received from NGOs and other civil society actors, as well as national human rights institutions is treated as confidential unless, following a request from the body providing the text, GREVIO decides otherwise. Such information can be published by the bodies concerned on their websites.

 

Step 2 - Consideration of the state report in the context of an evaluation visit

Two members of GREVIO, appointed as Rapporteurs, are delegated by GREVIO to examine the state report with the representatives of the state concerned in the context of an evaluation visit. The evaluation visit to the country concerned lasts on average five days.  The delegation carrying out the visit is generally made up of the two Rapporteurs designated to evaluate the country and one or two members of the Secretariat, and when necessary, specialists assisting the delegation.

 During these visits, the delegation meets with governmental officials, relevant professionals (social workers, health care staff, police officers, prosecutors and judges etc.), representatives of NGOs and other civil society interlocutors and whenever possible/necessary visits relevant facilities (for example, women's shelters, police stations, hospital facilities).

Step 3 - Preparing the draft GREVIO report

On the basis of all the information collected, GREVIO prepares the draft evaluation report, which is later discussed and approved at a subsequent GREVIO meeting.

The draft report is then transmitted to the state party concerned for comments (as a rule within two months of transmission).

Step 4 - Preparing and adopting the GREVIO report

Government comments on the draft report are taken into consideration by GREVIO when finalising its report which is later adopted by GREVIO.

Step 5 - Publication and dissemination of the GREVIO report

GREVIO's evaluation report is then transmitted to the state party concerned which once again has the opportunity to provide comments as a rule within one month of transmission.

Past the deadline, the GREVIO report together with any final comments received from the state party concerned is published and transmitted to the Committee of the Parties,

Step 6 - Follow-up to the GREVIO report

The state party concerned submits GREVIO's baseline evaluation report to its parliament(s) so that it may participate in monitoring the implementation of the Istanbul Convention.

Since 2018, the Committee of the Parties has been adopting – on the basis of GREVIO’s findings - recommendations addressed to states parties to further the implementation of the Istanbul Convention.

The state party concerned adopts measures on the basis of GREVIO's report and implements any recommendations of the Committee of the Parties. The state party is given a period of three years to implement the recommendations of the Committee of the Parties and report back to the Committee.

On the basis of the information provided by states parties and any additional information obtained from non-governmental organisations, civil society and national institutions for the protection of human rights, the Committee of the Parties adopts conclusions on the implementation of its recommendations in relation to each state party under review. In its conclusions, it may welcome the progress achieved and encourage further action where necessary.

Workflow of the first (baseline) evaluation procedure

 

For more information concerning the evaluation procedure,