On 29 November 2018 the first Steering Committee Meeting of the Council of Europe (CoE) Project “The Istanbul Convention: a tool to advance in fighting violence against woman and domestic violence in Ukraine” took place. The Project is being implemented under the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2018-2021, focuses on the prevention of violence and supports the following pillars of the Istanbul Convention:

• tackling the prevention of violence against women strategically and in longer term and by creating the necessary institutional mechanisms and multi-agency coordination (Article 7 and 10 of the Istanbul Convention)
• strengthening the knowledge and capacities of those in charge of supporting victims at national and local level in particular by training professionals (Article 15) to realize the victims’ right to specialized services (Article 22 of the Istanbul Convention) and their right to free legal aid (Article 57).

Based on this, Project priorities were defined as follows:

• Priority 1: Comprehensive and co-ordinated policies and frameworks and supporting national co-ordinating body on violence against women and domestic violence;
• Priority 2: Capacity building of institutions including through training of professionals;
• Priority 3: Specialist support services for victims of violence against women and domestic violence including legal aid.

Started in September 2018 the Project will last till June 2020. It continues the work undergone in Ukraine by the CoE, follows up the Project “Combating violence against vulnerable groups (women and children) in Ukraine” (2017-2018), its lessons learned and tools developed as well as continues engaging with relevant authorities and local stakeholders working in the field of combating violence against women and domestic violence. It also takes into account deliverables of the CoE regional project “Strengthening access to justice for women victims of violence” (2018) and the work done under the CoE Project “Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine” (2013-2016) to maximize impact.

Among 28 participants who attended the meeting, there were top management of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, representatives of the National Police of Ukraine, Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision, National Bar Association, Academy of Public Prosecution, National School of Judges, partners from UNFPA, EUAM, Canadian Embassy in Ukraine, HELP focal points, representatives of Ukrainian civil society organizations in the area of protection and support of victims of domestic violence and violence against women.

Participants of the Project Steering Committee meeting were welcomed by Ms. Marta Becerra, Head of Capacity building and co-operation projects unit, Gender Equality Division, Human Dignity and Gender Equality Department, Directorate General of Democracy (DGII), Project Manager from Strasbourg. Svitlana Pavlysh, Senior Project Officer, Kyiv, presented them the Project objectives and the frame of the activities within the whole period of the Project implementation making emphasis on priorities of cooperation in 2019.

Members of the Committee presented their vision on cooperation with the Project through proposals of activities to be organized for strengthening the knowledge and capacities of those in charge of supporting victims at national and local level, in particular, through tailor-made tools and trainings of professionals (judges, prosecutors, advocates, regional coordinators and focal points) to realize the victims’ right to specialized services and their right to free legal aid.

Members of the Steering Committee provided constructive feedback on the plan of the Project, confirming the mutual commitment for its implementation and the future cooperation.