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The Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention held its 20th meeting
The 20th meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention was held in Strasbourg on 2 June 2026. The Committee elected the following five experts to serve on the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) starting...
First webinar for the Network of specialised lawyers and NGOs assisting women victims of violence
The Council of Europe’s network of specialised lawyers and NGOs assisting women victims of violence held its first webinar on 27 May 2026, dedicated to the theme “Providing legal support and representation to victims of domestic violence in child custody and visitation rights cases.” The case of...
GREVIO will carry out its first thematic evaluation visit to Norway
A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) will carry out its first thematic evaluation visit to Norway, from 13 to 17 April 2026, focussing on the theme of “Building trust by delivering support, protection and...
GREVIO will carry out its first thematic evaluation visit to Germany
A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) will carry out its first thematic evaluation visit to Germany, from 13 to 17 April 2026, focussing on the theme of “Building trust by delivering support, protection and...
GREVIO held its 38th plenary meeting
The Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) held its 38th plenary meeting from 23 to 26 March 2026. It approved its preliminary first thematic evaluation reports on Estonia, Malta, Romania and Slovenia as well as its preliminary baseline evaluation...
Women's access to justice free from legal retaliation: a structural challenge for justice systems
On 12 March, the Platform of Independent Expert Mechanisms on Discrimination and Violence against Women (EDVAW Platform) organised, in collaboration with UN Women, a side event on the margins of the 70th Commission of the Status of Women focussing on women's access to justice free from...
Securing rights and justice without fear of retaliation #ForAllWomenAndGirls
“All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 7 In speaking with one voice, we members of the EDVAW Platform call upon States, world leaders, and the global community, on this 8th of...
Strengthening Europe’s commitment to women’s rights and safety
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset made the following statement marking International Women’s Day: Recent headlines feature women every day. The sex-trafficking ring at the centre of the Epstein files. The rape and abuse of Gisèle Pelicot by scores of men. The use of AI to create...
GREVIO will carry out its first thematic evaluation visit to Switzerland
A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) will carry out its first thematic evaluation visit to Switzerland, from 9 to 13 March 2026, focussing on the theme of “Building trust by delivering support, protection...
GREVIO will carry out its first thematic evaluation visit to Georgia
A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) will carry out its follow-up evaluation visit to Georgia, from 23 to 27 February 2026, focussing on the theme “Building trust by delivering support, protection and...
Declaration made at the 19th meeting of the Committee of the Parties
On the occasion of the 19th meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention held on 11 December 2025 and as the 16 Days of Activism on Gender-based Violence had drawn to a close, the 38 member states of the Council of Europe that are party to the Istanbul Convention...
New Bureau elected during the 19th meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention
At its 19th meeting held on 11 December 2025, the Committee of the Parties elected its new Bureau composed of: Mr Vebjørn Heines, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Norway to the Council of Europe, as Chair, and Ms Berta Mrak, Ambassador Extraordinary and...
Follow-up round table on promoting national synergies in implementing the Istanbul Convention in Greece
On 4 December 2025, the Violence against Women Division organised a follow-up round table on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Greece, aimed at promoting national synergies in addressing violence against women. The meeting provided the unique opportunity to take stock of and...
GREVIO President leading international platform of women’s rights monitoring mechanisms in 2026
From 1 January to 31 December 2026, GREVIO President Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou will be taking on the presidency of the Platform of Independent Expert Mechanisms on Discrimination and Violence against Women (EDVAW Platform). This unique forum brings together seven United Nations and regional...
GREVIO welcomes the significant expansion and the development of Italy’s legislative framework on violence against women
In its first thematic evaluation report on Italy, published today, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts (GREVIO) welcomes the significant expansion and the development of the country’s legislative framework on violence against women, clearly demonstrating a commitment to the implementation of...
Violence against women in Belgium: Laudable progress, but better data collection and access to shelters needed
The authorities in Belgium have made laudable efforts to implement the Istanbul Convention in recent years, according to the Council of Europe’s expert group on violence against women (GREVIO). However, further action is required in a number of areas to fully comply with the convention. Following...
GREVIO receives the report by the European Union
The report by the European Union on measures giving effect to the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention) was received by GREVIO on 24 November 2025 under its baseline evaluation procedure,...
Istanbul Convention: Significant progress in Andorra to combat violence against women, but some issues still require comprehensive action
Andorra has made significant legislative and institutional progress in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in recent years. However, comprehensive action is still required in certain areas to fully comply with the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and...
“The Istanbul Convention is a powerful tool for change": message from the President of GREVIO, Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we stand united in our shared belief that a life free from violence is not an aspiration; it is a fundamental human right. Around the world, too many women and girls still face the daily reality of fear, abuse and silence....
Statement by Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset on International Day on the Elimination of Violence against Women 2025
“No woman should live in fear of violence”
Democracy rests on the fundamental principle that everyone deserves equal rights and dignity and can live safely and freely. As our democracies are facing new challenges, women’s rights are increasingly called into question. On the eve of International Day on the Elimination of Violence against...
