Combatting Violence against Women in Ukraine (COVAW)

Project description
Project “Combatting Violence Against Women in Ukraine” (COVAW)
Project duration: 1 January 2021 - 31 December 2022
Project Description:
The COVAW project has been designed in line with the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine (2018-2022) as regards supporting national legislation and policy reforms related to combatting domestic violence, and raising awareness of authorities and the Ukrainian public concerning both the Istanbul Convention and violence against women.
The two components of COVAW – awareness raising and legislative frameworks – provide a double level of support to Ukraine in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in line with the standards of the Istanbul Convention.
The COVAW project will specifically aim to contribute to the success of the Action Plan through supporting the following priorities:
- adoption of necessary legislation for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention by working with the relevant Committees of the Verkhovna Rada;
- increased awareness of the authorities at different levels regarding the problem of violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine and the need to combat it; sharing information about the Istanbul Convention and other international standards in this area;
- raising awareness of society on combating stereotypes and gender inequality, risks of domestic violence and the international standards to combat it, including the Istanbul Convention.
- strengthened capacities and increased knowledge of relevant professionals and stakeholders, including in selected amalgamated communities;
- identification of gaps hindering prevention of violence against women, protection of victims of this violence, prosecution of perpetrators or integrated policies at a central or local level;
- legislative reforms and improved policy to aid victims of violence against women and domestic violence.
The project will work throughout Ukraine to contribute to the creation of an efficient system of protection of victims of violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine.
Partners
- The Cabinet of Ministers, Office of Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine
- Verkhovna Rada/Parliament of Ukraine
- The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine
- The Office of the Government Commissioner on Gender Policy
- The National Bar Association of Ukraine
- The Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision
- The National Association of District (Rayon) and Oblast Councils
- Women's rights selected civil society organisations

Video presentation “Myths and Facts about the Istanbul Convention”
How Ukraine’s System of Assistance to Victims of Domestic Violence and Violence against Women will Need to be Improved Following Ukraine’s Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
Istanbul Convention in action
How will the Istanbul Convention help to stop violence against women in Ukraine?


Resource Toolbox
Translations of key CoE documents into Ukrainian
- European Court of Human Rights Legal summaries: Legal summaries: Violence Against Women
- European Court of Human Rights Legal summaries: Legal summaries: Domestic violence
- European Court of Human Rights Legal summaries: Legal summaries: Gender Equality
- CASE OF LEVCHUK v. UKRAINE (Application no. 17496/19). Judgement of the European Court of Human Rights
- Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023
- Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)1 PREVENTING AND COMBATING SEXISM
- Website and video: Sexism: See it. Name it. Stop it.
- GREVIO General Recommendation No. 1 on the digital dimension of violence against women
- Towards an ambitious Council of Europe agenda for gender equality
Resource Toolbox
Guidance on Articles of the Istanbul Convention
- Implementing Article 10 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – establishing national co-ordinating bodies
- Ensuring data collection and research on violence against women and domestic violence: article 11 of the Istanbul Convention
- Preventing violence against women : article 12 of the Istanbul Convention
- Raising awareness of violence against women: article 13 of the Istanbul Convention
- Domestic and sexual violence perpetrator programmes : article 16 of the Istanbul Convention
- Encouraging the participation of the private sector and the media in the prevention of violence against women and domestic violence: article 17 of the Istanbul Convention
Resource Toolbox
Furthering knowledge and understanding of the Istanbul Convention
- Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and Explanatory Report
- Publications on Istanbul Convention
- Questions and Answers about Council of Europe Istanbul Convention
- Infographics about four Pillars of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
- Explanatory notes for infographics on four Pillars of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe
- About Istanbul Convention - Safe from Fear Safe from Violence
- Istanbul Convention – instrument to promote gender equality
- Istanbul Convention. Monitoring mechanism
- Istanbul Convention. 12 important Steps
- Safe From Fear Safe From Violence. FAQ on Istanbul Convention
- Istanbul Convention. News from the Future
- Comprehensive policy and data collection in Ukraine
- Council of Europe Guidance on Gender and Media
- Gender equality and media. Council of Europe standards and implementation
- How gender and domestic violence is covered by the media and why is the Istanbul Convention relevant here
- Safe From Fear Safe From Violence. FAQ on Istanbul Convention Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
- Brochure: Frequently Asked questions
- Publications on Istanbul Convention
- HUDOC, European Court of Human Rights
- Access to Justice for Women Victims of Violence
- Q&A: The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
- Declaration of the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) on the implementation of the Convention during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Opinion of the Venice Commission on Armenia on the constitutional implications of the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention)
Resource Toolbox
Legal Instruments
- Law of Ukraine "On preventing and combating domestic violence"
- «State Social Programme for Preventing and Combatting Domestic and Gender-Based Violence through 2025», Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No.145 from 24 February 2021
- "On approving the Order for generating, maintaining and accessing the Unified State Register of Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Cases", Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No.234 from 20 March 2019
Ukraine-specific publications on VAW/DV from CoE projects
- Guidance for the running of shelters for victims of violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine
- Guidance to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine with regard to a long-term approach to awareness-raising on violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine
- Risk Assessment Standards and Methodologies for Diverse Stakeholders in Ukraine: Next Steps in Implementing International Standards to Ensure the Safety of Victims of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
- Court Considerations on Issuing Restraining or Protection Orders in Cases of Domestic Violence: International Standards and Overview of Ukrainian National Practice
- Media Guidance for the Development of Self-Regulatory Standards to Report on Cases of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, based on Council of Europe Standards
- Infographics: How will the System of Assistance to Victims Violence against Women and Domestic Violence Need to be Improved Following Ukraine’s Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention?
- How Ukraine’s System of Assistance to Victims of Domestic Violence and Violence against Women will Need to be Improved Following Ukraine’s Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
- Infographics: 9 Facts about the Istanbul Convention
- Myths and Facts about the Istanbul Convention
- Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. A Practical Guide for Police Officers
Related links from Council of Europe
- Council of Europe
- Council of Europe in Ukraine
- Gender Equality at the Council of Europe
- Parliamentary Network "Women Free from Violence”
- Council of Europe Gender Equality Division
- Istanbul Convention/GREVIO
- Lanzarote Convention
- Lanzarote Committee
- Children Rights at the Council of Europe
- Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA)
- Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
- The European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP)
- European Court of Human Rights
Related links from our partners

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Marta Becerra (Strasbourg)
Head of Unit
Capacity building and co-operation projects unit
Gender Equality Division
Human Dignity and Gender Equality Department
https://www.coe.int/en/web/genderequality/co-operation-projects
Jenna Shearer Demir (Strasbourg)
Programme Advisor
Capacity building and co-operation projects unit
Gender Equality Division
Human Dignity and Gender Equality Department
https://www.coe.int/en/web/genderequality/co-operation-projects
Valeriia Tkachenko,
Senior Project Officer (Kyiv)
Tetiana Antonchenko,
Project Assistant (Kyiv)
