11 May 2024 marks the 13th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Istanbul Convention, which sets the standard for preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence.  Ukraine, which ratified the convention in 2022, is nearing its 2^nd anniversary with the convention.

As of April 2024, GREVIO, the monitoring body of the Istanbul Convention, has conducted baseline assessments for 36 out of the 39 parties to the convention. In celebration of the anniversary of the Istanbul Convention and to further support Ukraine’s efforts in implementation, the Council of Europe has published a key resource, “After ratification: Promising practices to advance implementation of the Istanbul Convention”.  In the publication, the Council of Europe has examined the experiences of countries implementing the convention in order to identify common challenges and areas of promising practice in each of the four pillars of the convention.

Some identified promising practices include the following:

• Prevention of violence against women is key. Sweden translates resources into multiple languages, making them accessible. Andorra involves boys in breaking the cycle of violence. Ireland adjusts strategies during crises and works alongside NGOs to prevent violence against women. Georgia conducts trainings on gender equality and deconstructing gender stereotypes.
• Protection measures are essential. Finland and Estonia put aside significant state funds for NGO-run shelters, ensuring quality standards. Denmark and Belgium provide accessible, holistic services for sexual violence victims throughout the country, while Bosnia and Herzegovina provides specialised services for victims of war-related sexual violence. Albania offers 24/7 services with psychosocial support. Iceland and Liechtenstein recognise children who witness violence as victims themselves. Spain offers free legal aid before, during, and after legal proceedings.
• Prosecution of perpetrators is critical. Croatia amended legislation to criminalise all forms of violence, including rape based on lack of consent. The Netherlands utilises a multi-agency risk assessment approach with different methods based on the type and severity of the risk. Cyprus prohibits mediation in domestic violence cases. Slovenia criminalised sexual harassment as a form of discrimination violating women's human rights.
• Integrated policies through multi-agency cooperation is important. Malta has a well-resourced coordinating body with diverse representation. Serbia organises data collection through inter-institutional cooperation, while France and Greece have multiple categories to classify data. Romania and Poland integrate a multi-agency approach into national strategies and legislation. Strong coordinating bodies oversee cooperation in Slovenia and Georgia. North Macedonia includes civil society representatives in its coordinating body.

The publication “After ratification: Promising practices to advance implementation of the Istanbul Convention” has been developed under the Council of Europe project “Combating violence against women in Ukraine – Phase II” (COVAW-II) for Ukrainian institutions and non-governmental organisations involved in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, and will be useful for policy makers, as well as professionals working in the field of violence against women and domestic violence in all European states.

See more:

 Publication. “After ratification: Promising practices to advance implementation of the Istanbul Convention”

 Standard. The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence ( “the Istanbul Convention”)

 Awareness Raising brochures and publications on the Istanbul Convention are available in the library of the project webpage “Combating Violence against Women in Ukraine – Phase II” (COVAW-II)

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