Co-operation Newsroom
Council of Europe supports safe and dignified voluntary return of women and girls to Ukraine
The Council of Europe has recently published the guide, “Safe and dignified: Gender-sensitive voluntary return strategies for Ukraine”, to assist Ukraine in developing gender-sensitive voluntary return procedures, focused on the needs of women and girls affected by violence or at risk. It...
SYNERGY Network launches new strategy with steering committee meeting in Nicosia
Twenty-five participants from 11 countries gathered in Nicosia, Cyprus from 17–19 May 2026 for first Steering Committee meeting of the SYNERGY Network against gender based and domestic violence. The meeting, co-organised by the Council of Europe Pathways Initiative under the EEA and Norway Grants...
Council of Europe supports partnerships with civil society organisations through EEA and Norway Grants
The Council of Europe’s commitment to human rights in Europe through supporting civil society was recently demonstrated through a gathering of EEA and Norway Grants’ Civil Society Fund Operators from 14 countries, held in January 2026 at the Financial Mechanism Office in Brussels. In discussions...
Call for applications: Integrating a gender perspective into legal education
The Council of Europe is launching a call for applications for a regional workshop entitled “Integrating a gender perspective into legal education”, to be held on 23 October 2026 at the European Youth Centre Budapest (EYCB), Hungary. The workshop will bring together up to 60 law professors from...
Georgian professionals strengthen victim-centred and trauma-informed responses
Trauma-informed and victim-centred responses to violence against women and domestic violence were the focus of a training organised for 50 representatives of shelters, crisis centres and hotlines operating under the State Care Agency of Georgia, the primary provider of support services for...
Workshop on strengthening coordinated policies to combat violence against women and domestic violence held in Floresti
Effective prevention and combating of violence against women and domestic violence requires clear legal frameworks, coordinated institutional action, and practical protection mechanisms for victims. On 14 May 2026, the first 2026 workshop of Thematic Group II – Criminal Prosecution / Coordinated...
Handbook on gender mainstreaming for Ukrainian authorities published
The publication “Gender mainstreaming in action: A handbook for local gender related coordinators in Ukraine” targeting the unique challenges faced by civil servants at local and regional level in Ukraine is now available. This publication offers specific guidance and resources for local...
Ukrainian civil servants' gender mainstreaming skills strengthened
On 28-29 April 2026, 23 civil servants the Ministry of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the National Police, and others, enhanced their professional competencies in gender equality and gender mainstreaming. The training was designed to...
Training of justice sector professionals on examining crimes of violence against women and domestic violence held in Cahul
Cases of violence against women and domestic violence require a response from the justice system that is specialised, coherent, and victim-centred. In this regard, it is essential that justice professionals possess the knowledge and skills necessary for the effective investigation and prosecution...
Supporting initiatives in Republika Srpska to align the legislative framework with the Istanbul Convention on the definition of sexual violence
A roundtable was held in Banja Luka focused on initiatives to amend the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska, with the aim to enhance the institutional response to sexual violence through a consent-based approach. The event brought together key representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry...
Advancing gender equality through judicial training: Conference highlights pathways towards mandatory training for judges and prosecutors
An international conference on Advancing gender equality through training for judges and prosecutors brought together judicial training institutions, judges, prosecutors and policy-makers from across Europe to Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. The event organised in partnership with the Moldovan...
Enhancing police capacities to address digital violence against women in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
A three-day training was held in Sarajevo from 15 to 17 April 2026, focused on enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement in relation to violence against women in the digital environment. The activity brought together 18 police officers from across the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,...
Strengthening support for refugee women and girls through co-operation with civil society organisations in Armenia
Civil society organisations across Armenia are strengthening their co-operation to better support refugee communities in Armenia, and address the complex challenges they face, from access to employment to social inclusion and protection. More than 400 women and girls, including refugees, have...
The Republic of Moldova hosts international platform on integrated policies and intersectoral cooperation in justice responses to violence against women
The first edition of the International Platform on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, dedicated to integrated policies and intersectoral cooperation in the field of justice, took place in Chișinău on 7 April, marking the launch of an annual framework for...
The Republic of Moldova's government adopts national indicators on violence against women and domestic violence, supported by the Council of Europe
Effective prevention and response to violence against women and domestic violence rely on accurate, comprehensive, and coordinated data. However, fragmented, and inconsistent data collection has long hindered a realistic assessment of the phenomenon, limiting the ability of institutions to...
Empowering civil society to improve access to justice in migration, environment, and women’s rights in Türkiye
On 27 March 2026, in Ankara, over 130 representatives from civil society organisations, bar associations, municipalities, public institutions, and international partners came together for the launch of the European Union and Council of Europe Joint Programme, “Fostering Civil Society...
Republika Srpska and Brčko District law enforcement strengthen skills to address technology-facilitated violence against women
From 16 to 18 March 2026 , a training session was organised for 18 law enforcement representatives from Republika Srpska and Brčko District in Sarajevo as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional responses to technology-facilitated violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The...
Judicial training on examining crimes of violence against women and domestic violence held in Chisinau
Violence against women and domestic violence cases require a specialised, consistent, and victim-centred judicial response. Ensuring that justice professionals are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills remains essential for the effective investigation and prosecution of such crimes,...
Azerbaijani institutions strengthen knowledge on psychological and technology-facilitated violence against women
Violence against women takes many forms, and increasingly, it happens in digital spaces. Online harassment, digital stalking, and psychological abuse have become significant concerns across the globe, yet legal frameworks and institutional responses often struggle to keep pace with the evolving...
New guidelines support improved gender-sensitive justice data collection in the Eastern Partnership region
New Guidelines on data collection practices relevant for women’s access to justice have been published to support authorities in the Eastern Partnership region in strengthening the collection and use of gender-sensitive justice data. The publication provides practical, evidence-based guidance for...
Council of Europe continues to support justice training on violence against women and domestic violence
33 participants (18 women and 15 men) including judges, prosecutors and criminal investigation officers took part in two specialised regional workshops from 4-6 March, in Balti, focused on the investigation and prosecution of cases in line with the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and...
Standards on the perpetrators’ programmes available to Georgian professionals
The Council of Europe project “Advancing gender equality, strengthening justice and support for women in Georgia” is supporting the Georgian stakeholders to develop programmes for perpetrators of sexual violence crimes, in line with Article 16 of the Istanbul Convention. A comprehensive baseline...
Pathways to end violence against women: advancing the Council of Europe's strategic response
Ending violence against women requires a systemic response. The Council of Europe's strategic triangle of standards, monitoring and cooperation turns principle into practice. The Pathways Initiative provides expert advising on Council of Europe standards and reinforces the SYNERGY Network, which...
Report on Armenia’s alignment with the Istanbul Convention presented in Yerevan
On 24 February 2026, a report reviewing Armenia’s progress towards ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) was presented in Yerevan. The event brought together representatives of state...
Tutored HELP course on gender equality and gender mainstreaming for Ukrainian gender related coordinators
On 20 February 2026, 29 Ukrainian civil servants participated in the kick-off meeting marking the launch of the Ukrainian adaptation of the HELP course on gender equality and gender mainstreaming. The course is designed to provide participants with comprehensive foundational knowledge of gender...
Lawyers take a step forward for women’s rights in Türkiye
It began as an online meeting, yet in reality, it marked the beginning of a transformative process. Lawyers from the Bar Associations of Malatya, Van and Şanlıurfa came together on 24 February for the launch of the online HELP Course on Access to Justice for Women to reinforce their shared...
Georgian stakeholders discuss progress in strengthening support for women and identify ways forward
On 17 February, the Council of Europe project “Advancing Gender Equality, Strengthening Justice and Support for Women in Georgia” held its first Steering Committee Meeting with relevant project partners to review progress achieved during the previous years and set priorities for 2026. The meeting...
The Council of Europe supports Ukraine in implementing European standards on violence against women for European Union accession
The Council of Europe, in partnership with the EU Project Pravo-Justice, held a thematic workshop on 30 January in Kyiv dedicated to the implementation of the “Fundamental Rights” pillar of the Rule of Law Roadmap, to support Ukraine in implementing European standards on combating violence...
Romanian civil society initiative supports awareness of the Istanbul Convention
The Community Safety and Mediation Center Foundation (CSMC), a Romanian non-governmental organisation, has completed a communication and advocacy project on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). The...
