Today, the Council of Europe Expert Group on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) published its first baseline evaluation report on Slovenia.

The report contains a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the provisions of the Istanbul Convention. It highlights numerous positive legal and policy measures but points out that less attention is directed towards the forms of violence against women other than domestic violence. Women from socially vulnerable groups should be paid more attention to, data collection should be improved, stronger criminal justice response is needed.

While acknowledging the positive developments, the report points out that less policy attention, funding, and political support is directed towards other forms of violence against women covered by the convention, in particular rape, stalking, forced marriage/abortion/sterilisation and female genital mutilation. GREVIO strongly encourages the Slovenian authorities to step up their efforts to respond to all forms of violence, in particular sexual violence.

GREVIO commends the research, population-based surveys and awareness-raising done by the authorities in Slovenia. It encourages them to continue to invest in the education sector to ensure early intervention of educators where girls are at risk, including in the online environment, and to incorporate the principles of equality between men and women, non-stereotyped gender roles, non-violent interpersonal conflict resolution and the right to personal integrity into the formal school curriculum.

 Comments of the Slovenian Government