In its first report on Switzerland, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) calls on Switzerland to consolidate the measures it has already taken by strengthening its system of protection for women victims of violence and legal framework and by harmonising practices across the country.
In its report, the Group of Experts welcomes the measures taken to implement the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), particularly through early involvement of all levels of authority concerned and the adoption of a national action plan for the period 2022-2026 but also to raise awareness and inform the public, including in the education sector, and to improve the care and protection of women victims of violence (e.g. by setting up special contact points for female genital mutilation and forced marriages in a number of cantons, crisis centres for victims of sexual violence and specialist units in several hospitals). Legal reforms, particularly the 2020 Federal Law on improved protection for victims of violence, have also brought Swiss legislation more closely into line with the requirements of the Convention.
However, the report also highlights a number of shortcomings, such as the lack of definitions and a common national-level approach to violence against women and domestic violence, the inadequacy of funding for policies, programmes and measures to prevent and combat all forms of violence against women, and the fact that women victims of violence do not have equal access to shelter accommodation and high-quality assistance throughout the country.
The report is published together with the comments of the Swiss Government.
