European countries are taking a stronger stand against violence against women thanks to a key international human rights treaty, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). This convention goes beyond simply condemning violence – it requires concrete action from countries which have ratified.

Article 10 stipulates that each country must set up an official coordinating body. These bodies act as central hubs, overseeing the development and implementation of plans to prevent violence against women, protect victims, prosecute perpetrators and develop integrated policies to end violence against women and domestic violence. They are also responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of these plans and making adjustments as needed.

A collection of papers was developed in late 2023 on “Setting up co-ordinating bodies responsible for policies on violence against women: Article 10 of the Istanbul Convention”. The practical information it contains includes clear guidelines, examples of promising practices drawing from 36 baseline evaluation reports by GREVIO, the Istanbul Convention’s independent monitoring body, and a checklist of key considerations for implementation. The collection also offers a list of resources which may foster these efforts. 

To support implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Ukraine, the resource has been translated into Ukrainian under the Council of Europe project “Combating violence against women in Ukraine – Phase II” (COVAW-II).

See more:

 Study. Setting up co-ordinating bodies responsible for policies on violence against women: Article 10 of the Istanbul Convention / UA

 Webpage. Combating violence against women in Ukraine – Phase II (COVAW-II)

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