News
Georgian civil society representatives engage in dialogue on gender equality and prevention of violence against women
European standards, mechanisms, and best practices for promoting gender equality and preventing violence against women and domestic violence were the focus of a two-day study visit to Strasbourg for members of civil society from Georgia. Participants engaged in exchanges with experts from various...
Enhancing support services for victims of sexual violence in Greece
On 31 March 2025, the Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Division, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family of the Hellenic Republic, held a conference on improving victim support services for victims of sexual violence in Greece. The event brought together over 70...
Interagency roundtable discussion on domestic violence perpetrators’ programme in Armenia
Preventing domestic violence through rehabilitation of perpetrators is key to ensuring long-term impact and safety for victims. Effective perpetrator programmes focus on changing behaviour, taking responsibility, and reducing repeat offenses, making them an important part of domestic violence...
Combating violence against women in Ukraine remains one of the top priorities for the Council of Europe office in Ukraine
On 27 February 2025 the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine held an Open Day to showcase its work dedicated to supporting reforms in human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The event brought together more than 60 representatives from Ukrainian authorities and ministries, international...
Council of Europe launches phase II project “Supporting the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova”
On 13 March 2025, the Council of Europe officially launched Phase II of the project Supporting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova . The event also marked the first Steering Committee Meeting, gathering 45 representatives from key ministries, parliament, law...
Tackling digital violence against women and girls in Slovenia
The Council of Europe’s Gender Equality Division, in cooperation with Slovenia’s Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, will hold a conference on 20 March 2025, in Ljubljana, on the digital dimension of violence against women and girls. The event will bring together...
Combating digital dimension of violence against women in Armenia: exploring solutions and overcoming challenges
The issue of gender-based violence against women committed online and facilitated by technology is a growing concern, highlighting the need for stronger legal protections, support systems, and awareness initiatives to effectively combat and prevent such forms of abuse. The Council of Europe...
Trainings on Strategic Litigation Strengthen Women’s Rights Protection in Türkiye
From 6-8 March in Ankara, 38 lawyers from the several bar associations and civil society representatives (34 women, 4 men) gained valuable knowledge and skills on key legal strategies to effectively use litigation as a powerful tool to protect and promote women’s rights in Türkiye. The trainings...
GEC/ADI-AI: Public consultations are now open
The Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) and Gender Equality Commission (GEC) have been tasked by the Committee of Ministers to prepare a Recommendation on Equality and Artificial Intelligence. This Recommendation will provide non-binding...
New video on combating violence against women through education in Ukraine
Education is key to promoting gender equality, combating sexism and building relationships based on mutual respect. It is crucial to address gender inequality through education, as such inequality is closely linked to the prevalence of violence against women. Article 14 of the Istanbul Convention...
The impact of digital technologies on the lives of women in the public eye - in focus at CSW side-event
In the margins of the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, the Council of Europe is organising a side-event on Threats and Opportunities of Digital Technologies: Women in the Public Eye. The event is co-organised with the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the United Nations,...
Launch of the HELP course on domestic violence for law enforcement in Azerbaijan
On 25 February 2025, an adapted version of the HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) online course on domestic violence was introduced for Azerbaijani police officers. The course will equip law enforcement officers with essential knowledge and skills to handle cases effectively....
Azerbaijani authorities discuss multi-agency co-operation on combating violence against women
On 25 February 2025, under EU and Council of Europe joint programme, a platform for discussion was created on multi-agency cooperation to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. The event brought together 25 representatives from state institutions, academia, and civil...
Council of Europe celebrates SYNERGY Network achievements as EEA and Norway Grants cycle ends
The SYNERGY Network against gender based and domestic violence marked the end of its current cycle at a closing conference “Working Together for a Europe Free from Violence", held in Brussels from 20-21 January 2025. Organised under the EEA and Norway Grants’ Lithuanian Justice and Home Affairs...
Council of Europe All In Plus project reveals persistent gender gaps in sport
A new analytical report from the "All In Plus: Promoting Greater Gender Equality in Sport" joint European Union - Council of Europe project highlights both progress and persistent disparities in gender equality across European sport. The report, published on the occasion of the project's closing...
Call for tenders: Provision of national consultancy services related to combating violence against women
The Council of Europe is looking for providers for the provision of national consultancy services, to be engaged by the Council of Europe on an as needed basis. Providers are expected to bring expertise aligned with European standards, particularly in the following areas: Gender equality Online...
Council of Europe presents new guide to enhance refugee women's rights
International expert Louise Hooper presented the Guide to the implementation of the Council of Europe Recommendation on Protecting the rights of Migrant, Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Women and Girls at the 10th Meeting of the Council of Europe Network of Focal Points on Migration (NFPM). This...
Stopping violence against women: GREVIO stresses need for risk assessment to keep women safe from violence
The Council of Europe has released a standalone publication focusing on risk assessment and risk management in cases of violence against women and domestic violence, extracted from the 5th general report by GREVIO (the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic...
Civil society uses digital platforms to raise awareness on violence against women in Serbia
Sloboda Nema Cenu, selected under the call for projects for civil society organisations (CSO), has successfully completed a podcast series aimed at raising awareness of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul...
Launch of Phase II of the “Ending violence against women and promoting gender equality” project in Armenia
On 30 January 2025, the second phase of the project "Ending violence against women and promoting gender equality in Armenia" was officially launched in Yerevan. The event brought together representatives from Armenia’s Ministries of Labour and Social Affairs, Education, Justice, and Interior, as...
