A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) is carrying out its follow-up evaluation visit to Portugal from 24 to 28 June 2024, focussing on the theme “Building trust by delivering support, protection and justice.” This visit is one of the steps in the First thematic evaluation round to monitor the implementation by Portugal of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention).

The First thematic evaluation round aims to address how national laws and policies in parties build trust, deliver support, and provide access to justice for women victims of violence, based on the questionnaire adopted by GREVIO on 13 October 2022. The visit will enable the delegation to obtain more in-depth information on the implementation of select provisions in the areas of prevention, protection, prosecution and co-ordinated policies, where the baseline evaluation report on Portugal and the conclusions on the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention have revealed challenges and the need to take additional measures.

During the visit, the GREVIO delegation will be meeting with representatives from different ministries and public bodies, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the General Directorate of Education, public prosecutors and judges. In addition, the GREVIO delegation will be visiting a Police station, a victim support centre a shelter and a health facility and be meeting with representatives of non-governmental organisations, civil society and independent bodies working in the area of violence against women.

GREVIO plans to publish its First thematic evaluation report on Portugal in 2025.