Co-operation Newsroom
Law professors from Eastern Partnership countries explore ways to strengthen gender-sensitive legal education
“Integrating a gender perspective into legal education is not about changing the fundamental principles of law, but about enriching students’ understanding of justice, equality, and human rights.” This reflection, shared by a participant at a regional workshop held in Budapest on 23 October,...
Ukraine discusses priorities after the publication of GREVIO’s report
On 7 October 2026, a hybrid event in Kyiv and online presented GREVIO’s Baseline evaluation report on Ukraine’s implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention). More than 50 representatives of...
From accountability to change: Developing professional expertise to deliver domestic violence perpetrator programmes in Armenia
Addressing domestic violence requires not only protecting victims but also working with perpetrators to challenge abusive behaviour and prevent further violence. The Council of Europe is supporting the Ministry of Labour and Welfare of Armenia in developing and implementing a programme for...
Putting victims first: Strengthening social services to respond to domestic violence
When a woman seeks help after experiencing domestic violence, the response she receives can make a real difference. She needs to be heard, feel safe and know that her rights and choices matter. For social services professionals, responding effectively means more than addressing an immediate...
Protecting victims and children: training strengthens courts’ response to domestic violence
A decision about protection, custody or contact can have a lasting effect on the safety of a victim of domestic violence and their children. How courts understand abuse and its impact on family life can therefore be crucial. These issues were at the heart of a two-day training held on 29–30...
35 certified police trainers equipped to share expertise on technology facilitated violence against women and girls in Bosnia and Herzegovina
From 5 to 7 October, fourteen law enforcement officers from Republika Srpska and Brčko District (six women and eight men) have completed a training-of-trainers course on technology-facilitated violence against women, reaching 35 certified police officer in total, supported through the Council of...
Advancing gender-responsive justice in the Western Balkans: experts and practitioners from across Europe come together at the closing conference
The Council of Europe project "Women's access to justice in the Western Balkans" has concluded with a conference in Strasbourg on 13–14 October 2026. Participants from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership gathered together to reflect on results, share knowledge and discuss future...
Advancing gender-responsive education in Armenian schools and preschools
Lasting classroom change takes practice and a chance to learn from one another. 40 school mentor teachers and preschool representatives came together at the Council of Europe conference “Gender-Responsive Education: From Experience to Sustainable Practice” to share ideas about gender-responsive...
Strengthening responses to domestic violence perpetrators in Azerbaijan
Preventing domestic violence means holding perpetrators accountable and helping them change their behaviour. Programmes for perpetrators can help break the cycle of violence, as long as they put victim’s safety first and are part of a co-ordinated response involving all relevant institutions....
Strengthening the judicial response to sexual violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ensuring that victims of sexual violence can access justice without being exposed to further trauma requires a judicial response that understands their experiences and protects their rights throughout criminal proceedings. This was the focus of two capacity-building activities held in Jahorina...
National Police officers enhanced their knowledge and skills on gender equality and gender mainstreaming
“For the police, gender equality and non-discrimination policies are not merely legal requirements, but a daily practice of respecting human dignity. Our task is to ensure that everyone, regardless of gender, age or life circumstances, feels that they are treated fairly, safe and protected. Trust...
21 police officers certified to repond to technology-facilitated violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina
21 police officers, out of which 8 women and 13 men, across all the ten cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina are now certified trainers, after having completed an advanced training course on technology-facilitated violence against women. Building on training activities organised...
Justice professionals strengthen their response to violence against women, domestic violence and femicide
When victims of violence against women or domestic violence turn to the justice system, they need a response that is timely, effective, coordinated, and sensitive to their specific needs. To support this, six specialised regional training seminars were organised in Chișinău, Bălți and Cahul for...
Building local expertise for women’s access to justice
A woman’s journey towards access to justice is not limited to obtaining legal information. How then can local actors working in the field of women's access to justice be equipped to promote and embed this approach within their own institutions and across their provinces? To address this question,...
Georgian legal aid clinics and civil society explore Dutch approaches to strengthen women’s access to justice
From 7 to 9 September, exploring practical approaches to clinical legal education, women’s access to justice and co-operation between university legal clinics, civil society and legal professionals was at the centre of a three-day study visit to the Netherlands. The visit brought together members...
Preschool professionals in Armenia strengthen skills to promote gender-responsive and safe learning environment
On 4 - 5 August, the Council of Europe organised a two-day online training for 63 Armenian preschool directors, educators, methodologists and speech therapists to strengthen their capacity to apply gender-responsive approaches in preschool education and better recognise and respond to situations...
University legal aid clinics strengthen co-operation to advance women’s access to justice in Georgia
Strengthening co-operation between university legal clinics and their capacity to support women’s access to justice were at the centre of the first working meeting of the Coordination Platform of Legal Clinics on Women’s Rights, held in Tbilisi on 14 July. The recently established Platform brings...
Future lawyers and ICT professionals learn to build safer online environments for women
How can tomorrow’s lawyers and technology professionals shape safer digital spaces for women and girls? In Georgia, future lawyers and ICT professionals are now equipped to create stronger, coordinated responses to digital dimension of violence against women. This matters because technology is...
Civil Society Organisations are equipped with guidance for Grant Applications on Access to Justice
An online training on grant rules and procedures brought together over 100 representatives from civil society organisations (CSOs) across Türkiye. Participants received comprehensive, practical guidance on preparing and submitting grant applications, gaining essential skills to develop robust...
Police and Investigative Committee of Armenia advance joint response to domestic violence
A Council of Europe workshop held on 21 July 2026 brought together representatives of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee of Armenia to strengthen their joint response to domestic violence. The event advanced inter-institutional co-operation aimed at...
Experts discuss legal and institutional responses to domestic violence in Azerbaijan
Responding effectively to domestic violence takes more than good laws: it requires strong co-operation between institutions, consistent implementation on the ground, and ongoing exchange of good practice. Bringing together national institutions and international expertise offers a chance to take...
GREVIO workshops strengthen evidence-based reporting on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Representatives of institutions and co-ordination bodies from across Bosnia and Herzegovina strengthened their capacities to prepare comprehensive and evidence-based responses for the first thematic evaluation round of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic...
Building bridges for women's access to justice: Strengthening local cooperation
Improving women's access to justice begins long before a case reaches a courtroom. It starts with institutions communicating effectively, understanding one another's roles and working together to ensure that women can receive the support they need, without having to navigate complex systems...
Republika Srpska and Brčko District law enforcement further strengthen skills to address technology-facilitated violence against women
A second training session was organised for 15 law enforcement representatives from Republika Srpska and Brčko District in Sarajevo from 13 to 15 July 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional responses to technology-facilitated violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina....
Shaping the next generation of lawyers to combat digital and sexual violence against women
A Regional Summer School for law students brought together 30 law students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo1, addressing digital and sexual violence against women. It was held in Trebinje from 6 to 10 July. Participants were introduced to the...
Council of Europe Recommendations on AI and technology-facilitated violence against women and girls are now available in Ukrainian
Two recent recommendations adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 4 March 2026 have been translated in Ukrainian. They address the problems posed to gender equality and non-discrimination, and the increase in violence against women and girls, by the structure of new technologies: CM/Rec(2026)1...
Council of Europe study examines protection from violence of women with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities in the Republic of Moldova
In the Republic of Moldova, women with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities remain largely invisible within the system designed to prevent and respond to violence against women and domestic violence. Evidence shows that women with disabilities are two to five times more likely to experience...
Professionals explore ways to strengthen coordination and referral mechanisms for victim support in Azerbaijan
Effective coordination and referral mechanisms are important for ensuring that victims of violence against women and domestic violence receive protection and timely, appropriate and continuous support. As victims often interact with multiple services, cooperation among professionals and...
