Project: Combating Violence against Women in Ukraine - Phase III (COVAW-III)

Project duration: 1 April 2025 - 31 December 2026

Project description:

The COVAW-III project (Combating Violence against Women in Ukraine - Phase III, 2025-2026) builds upon previous Council of Europe initiatives in Ukraine and aims to develop robust policies to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence in line with the Istanbul Convention standards. Launched during Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia, which has heightened the risk of multiple forms of violence against women, the project takes a holistic approach by supporting policy development, legislation and capacity-building for relevant authorities while engaging various stakeholders including civil society organisations.

The COVAW-III project focuses on two key aspects: violence against women and gender equality, both rooted in Council of Europe standards. COVAW-III will support the implementation process of the Istanbul Convention in Ukraine, and the knowledge and mechanisms created will contribute to better protection of women's human rights in Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities and civil society at central and regional levels will be introduced into international gender equality standards at the level of policies, legislation and practices to achieve de facto gender equality.

• Cabinet of Ministers, Office of Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine
• Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine
• Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
• Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
• Office of the Government Commissioner on Gender Policy
• Prosecutor General Office
• National Social Service of Ukraine
• National Agency on Civil Service
• Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision
• National Bar Association of Ukraine
• Prosecutor's Training Centre of Ukraine
• National Prosecution Academy
• Civil Society Organisations focused on women's human rights
• Ukrainian civil servants responsible for implementation of the Convention on Preventing and
• Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention)

​ 2021-22 Combatting Violence against Women in Ukraine (COVAW)

​ 2018-20 The Istanbul Convention: a tool to advance in fighting violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine (coe.int)

​ 2017 Combating violence against women and children in Ukraine (coe.int)

Gender Equality Co-operation Unit
Gender Equality Division
Human Dignity and Gender Equality Department
https://www.coe.int/en/web/genderequality/co-operation-projects

Elena Jovanovska-Brezoska (Strasbourg)
Head of Unit

Jenna Shearer Demir (Strasbourg)
Programme Advisor

Valeriia Tkachenko (Kyiv)
Senior Project Officer

Viktoriia Tereshchenko (Kyiv)
Project Officer 

Tetiana Antonchenko (Kyiv)
Project Assistant

How Ukraine’s system of assistance to victims of domestic violence and violence against women will need to be improved following Ukraine’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (UKR)

Istanbul Convention in action (UKR)

How will the Istanbul Convention help to stop violence against women in Ukraine? (UKR)

What will the Istanbul Convention mean for all of us when it is fully applied? (long video version)

What will the Istanbul Convention mean for all of us when it is fully applied? (short video version)

• Manual. Working with victims of sexual violence during armed conflict: A manual for Ukrainian prosecutors (2024) 
• Checklist. Сhecklist for preventing violence against women through formal and informal education: Article 14 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) (2024)
• Brief. The significance of terminology: Gender-based violence against women (2023)
• Guidance. Combating violence against women and domestic violence: A practical guide for police officers (2023)
• Infographic. What will the Istanbul Convention mean for Ukraine when it is fully applied? (2022)
• Manual. Working with victims of sexual violence during armed conflict: A manual for Ukrainian mental health and emergency response professionals (2022)
• Brochure. The relevance of the Istanbul Convention in Ukraine today (2022)
• Brochure. How Ukraine’s system of assistance to victims of domestic violence and violence against women will need to be improved following Ukraine’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (2020)
• Brochure. Myths and facts about the Istanbul Convention (2020)
• Guidance. Court considerations on issuing restraining or protection orders in cases of domestic violence: International standards and an overview of Ukrainian national practice (2020)
• Guidance. Media guidance for the development of self-regulatory standards to report on cases of violence against women and domestic violence, based on Council of Europe standards (2020)
• Infographic. 9 facts about the Istanbul Convention (2020)
• Infographic. How will the system of assistance to victims of violence against women and domestic violence need to be improved following Ukraine’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention? (2020)
• Report. Risk assessment standards and methodologies for diverse stakeholders in Ukraine: Next steps in implementing international standards to ensure the safety of victims of violence against women and domestic violence (2020)
• Guidance. Guidance for the running of shelters for victims of violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine (2018)
• Guidance. Guidance to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine with regard to a long-term approach to awareness-raising on violence against women and domestic violence in Ukraine (2017)

• Study. After ratification: promising practices to advance implementation of the Istanbul convention (2024)
• Guidance. Guidelines on Reporting for Baseline Evaluations of the Council of Europe GREVIO (2024)
• Webpage. HUDOC, the European Court of Human Rights database (2023)
• Report. Approaches taken in states parties to the Istanbul Convention on the criminalisation and prosecution of sexual violence, including rape (2023)
• Human rights comment. Addressing the invisibility of women and girls with disabilities (2022)
• Opinion. Opinion of the Venice Commission on Armenia regarding the constitutional implications of the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) (2021)
• Declaration. Declaration of the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) on the implementation of the Convention during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020)
• Slide deck. Comprehensive policy and data collection in Ukraine (2020)
• Slide deck. Council of Europe guidance on gender and media (2020)
• Slide deck. Gender equality and media: Council of Europe standards and implementation (2020)
• Slide deck. How gender and domestic violence is covered by the media and why is the Istanbul Convention relevant here (2020)
• Slide deck. Istanbul Convention: news from the future (2020)
• Brochure. Questions and answers about the Council of Europe's Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (2018)
• Webpage. Access to justice for women victims of violence (2018)
• Fact sheet. Frequently asked questions on the Istanbul Convention – Safe from fear, safe from harm (2014)
• Infographic. The four pillars of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (2014)
• Webpage. Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and its explanatory report (2014)
• Webpage. Publications on the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe (2014)
• Brochure. The four pillars of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe (2014)
• Brochure. About the Istanbul Convention - Safe from fear, safe from violence (2014)
• Fact sheet. The Istanbul Convention – an instrument to promote gender equality (2013)
• Fact sheet. Twelve steps to comply with the Istanbul Convention (2013)

• Guidance for safe and effective perpetrator programmes: Article 16 of the Istanbul Convention
• Checklist. Сhecklist for preventing violence against women through formal and informal education: Article 14 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) (2024)
• Collection of papers. Setting up co-ordinating bodies responsible for policies on violence against women: Article 10 of the Istanbul Сonvention (2024)


• Guide. Guide to the implementation of the Council of Europe recommendation on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls (2024)

• Collection of papers. Ensuring the non-discriminatory implementation of measures against violence against women and domestic violence: Article 4, paragraph 3, of the Istanbul Convention. A collection of papers on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (2022)

• Guidance. Gender-based asylum claims and non-refoulement: Articles 60 and 61 of the Istanbul Convention (2019)
• Guidance. Encouraging the participation of the private sector and the media in the prevention of violence against women and domestic violence: Article 17 of the Istanbul Convention (2016)
• Guidance. Ensuring data collection and research on violence against women and domestic violence: Article 11 of the Istanbul Convention (2016)
• Guidance. Implementing Article 10 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - establishing national co-ordinating bodies (2016)
• Guidance. Domestic and sexual violence perpetrator programmes: Article 16 of the Istanbul Convention (2014)
• Guidance. Preventing violence against women: Article 12 of the Istanbul Convention (2014)
• Guidance. Raising awareness of violence against women: Article 13 of the Istanbul Convention (2014)

• Guidance. Guidelines on Reporting for Baseline Evaluations of the Council of Europe GREVIO (2024)
• Brochure. The monitoring mechanism of the Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe (2016)

• Key recommendations. Protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls 
• Resolution. PACE resolution 2476 (2023) on conflict related sexual violence (2023)
• Declaration. Declaration of Council of Europe ministers on the prevention of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (2022)
• Media Release. European ministers adopt “Dublin Declaration” on preventing violence through equality (2022)
• Recommendation. CM/Rec(2022)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking women and girls (2022)
• Brochure. Towards an ambitious Council of Europe agenda for gender equality (2021)
• Recommendation. GREVIO General Recommendation No. 1 on the digital dimension of violence against women (2021)
• Brochure. Easy-to-read version of the Istanbul Convention developed by Autism-Europe (2020)
• Webpage. Sexism: See it. Name it. Stop it. (2020)
• Judgement. Judgment of the European Court of Human Rights: Levchuk v. Ukraine (Application No. 17496/19) (2020)
• Legal Summary. European Court of Human Rights legal summaries: domestic violence (2020)
• Legal Summary. European Court of Human Rights legal summaries: gender equality (2020)
• Legal Summary. European Court of Human Rights legal summaries: violence against women (2020)
• Recommendation. CM/Rec(2019)1 Preventing and combating sexism (2019)
• Webpage. Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2018-2023 (2018)
• Guidance. Methodology for civil society organisations to run communication/advocacy campaigns to promote the values, aims and main provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence
• Guidance. Checklist for civil society organisations to run communication/advocacy campaigns to promote the values, aims and main provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence 

• Resolution. State social programme for preventing and combatting domestic and gender-based violence through 2025: resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No.145 from 24 February 2021
• Law of Ukraine. On preventing and combating domestic violence (2019)
• Resolution. On approving the order for generating, maintaining and accessing the Unified State Register of Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Cases: resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No.234 from 20 March 2019 (2019)
• Spanish law. Organic Act 1/2004 of 28 December on Integrated Protection Measures against Gender Violence

• Video. Kick-off of the online HELP VAW course for Ukrainian lawyers, judges, and prosecutors 
• Slide deck. 2023 Update of “Combating violence against women and domestic violence: a Practical guide for police officers” (2024)
• Slide deck. Adapted “Working with victims of sexual violence during armed conflict in Ukraine: a Manual for prosecutors” (2024)
• Slide deck. Research on public misunderstandings and myths about the Istanbul Convention in Ukrainian regions and territorial communities (2024)
• Slide deck. Publication “After ratification: Promising practice to advance implementation of the Istanbul Convention” (2024)
• Slide deck. The HELP course: Violence against women and domestic violence (2024)
• E-learning. HELP course on Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (2022)
• Slide deck. Information webinar for professionals who ensure coordination and provide services to victims of sexual violence (in Ukrainian) (2022)
• Video. Information webinar for professionals who ensure coordination and provide services to victims of sexual violence (2022)
• E-learning. HELP course on Women's Access to Justice (2021)

• Guidance. Gender-based asylum claims and non-refoulement: Articles 60 and 61 of the Istanbul Convention: in English, Ukrainian, Slovak, Hungarian, Romanian, Polish (2019)
• Recommendation. CM/Rec(2022)17 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls: in English, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovak (2022)

• Webpage. Library on domestic violence, gender policy and gender education (2023)
• Webpage. UNFPA Library (2023)

• Webpage. Council of Europe (2023)
• Webpage. Council of Europe in Ukraine (2023)
• Webpage. Gender Equality at the Council of Europe (2023)
• Webpage. The Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence (2023)
• Webpage. Council of Europe Gender Equality Division (2023)
• Webpage. The Istanbul Convention (2023)
• Webpage. The Lanzarote Convention (2023)
• Webpage. The Lanzarote Committee (2023)
• Webpage. Children Rights at the Council of Europe (2023)
• Webpage. Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) (2023)
• Webpage. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights (2023)
• Webpage. The European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) (2023)
• Webpage. European Court of Human Rights (2023)