Back New report highlights Armenia’s progress and challenges in ratifying the Istanbul Convention

New report highlights Armenia’s progress and challenges in ratifying the Istanbul Convention

Armenia took concrete steps to strengthen prevention of violence against women and domestic violence through reforms aimed at aligning national legislation, policies and practices with the standards of the Council of Europe, namely the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).

The presentation of the report marked an important milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen protection against violence and progress towards ratification. It provided a platform for dialogue among participants aligning national responses with European standards.

Prepared at the request of the Armenian authorities within Phase II of the project “Ending Violence Against Women and Promoting Gender Equality in Armenia” , the report highlights progress achieved in recent years, including on legislative amendments, and in the Criminal Code. These changes strengthen the protection framework, improve measures, and lead to better practices. The report also notes improvements in institutional co-operation, while also identifying areas requiring further work.

The presentation highlighted the report’s main findings and enabled an exchange of views on outstanding issues and possible next steps to further strengthen the protection of women and address domestic violence.

The report was presented in Yerevan on 24 February 2026, bringing together representatives of state institutions and elected bodies, civil society organisations, frontline professionals and international partners to discuss next steps and strengthen co-ordinated response to violence against women.

“This report reflects the collective efforts over the past years to advance gender equality and to strengthen the fight against violence against women and domestic violence. It highlights both progress achieved and challenges that remain ahead,” said Maxime Longangué, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan. “While ratification is still pending, we are already seeing tangible change: national legislation and policies are moving closer to international standards; professionals are increasingly adopting victim-centred approaches; co-operation among institutions is strengthening; and support services are becoming more accessible to those who need them most. At the same time, ratification would anchor these advances in a binding legal framework ensuring consistent protection across the country, strengthen prevention obligations, reinforce accountability and guarantee sustainable institutional system of support for women and girls.”

 

The event was organised by the Council of Europe project “Ending Violence Against Women and Promoting Gender Equality in Armenia” Phase II implemented under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA 24 FEBRUARY 2026
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The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation, with 46 member states, including Armenia. All our member states are party to the European Convention on Human Rights, which is the cornerstone of human rights protection in Europe.

The Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, represents the Secretary General in Armenia. It closely co-operates with national authorities supporting the implementation of statutory obligations to the Council of Europe by Armenia through co-operation projects.

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