By virtue of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), parties are required to set up or designate one or more official bodies with the responsibility of ensuring the Convention's implementation at national level (Article 10). This entails:

  • coordinating any existing or new national policies and measures to combat violence against women,
  • implementing such measures, and
  • ensuring their monitoring and evaluation at national level to assess any positive and negative outcomes.


In 2023, a publication was released providing:

  • guidance to set up official co-ordinating bodies
  • advice on the implementation of Article 10
  • an overview of different national approaches followed to designate or establish such bodies, including promising practices
  • guidance to policy makers and relevant professionals on designing evidence-based policies, co-ordinating the implementation of policies across sectors, as well as ensuring the monitoring and independent evaluation of policies on violence against women.
  • information on the importance of ensuring the allocation of adequate resources, the development of clear mandates for these bodies, and the use of efficient working methods, based on the promotion of inter-institutional co-ordination, co operation with non-governmental organisations, and the implementation of a gender-sensitive and intersectional approach to policy making.
  • a checklist for setting up co-ordinating bodies in line with the requirements of Article 10, the general principles of the Istanbul Convention, and GREVIO’s findings, as well as a list of key resources for further guidance.

All parties are requested to communicate the names and contact details of the bodies that have been mandated to fulfil these tasks.

 

List of co-ordinating bodies (bilingual)

Albania/Albanie
National Council on Gender Equality

Andorra/Andorre
Service des Politiques d'Égalité
Département des Affaires Sociales
Ministère des Affaires Sociales, de la Justice et de l'Intérieur

Austria/Autriche
Federal Chancellery of Austria
Directorate General for Women and Equality
Department III/4 – Prevention of and Protection from Violence

Belgium/Belgique
Institute for Equality between Women and Men

Bosnia and Herzegovina/Bosnie-Herzégovine
Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina 
Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Centre for Gender Equity and / Equality (Gender Centre) of Republika Srpska 
Gender Centre of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatia/Croatie
Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy

Cyprus/Chypre
National Coordinating Body for the Prevention and Combating of Violence Against Women

Denmark/Danemark
Inter-ministerial working group on violence against women

Finland/Finlande
Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (NAPE)

France
Direction générale de la Cohésion sociale
Ministère délégué chargé de l’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes et de la lutte contre les discriminations 

Georgia/Géorgie
The Inter-agency Commission on Gender Equality, Violence against Women and Domestic Violence

Germany/Allemagne
National Co-Ordinating Body under the Istanbul Convention, German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

Greece/Grèce
General Secretariat for Equality and Human Rights, Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family

Iceland/Islande
Ministry of Justice 

Ireland/Irlande
Ministry of Justice 

Italy/Italie
Department for Equal Opportunities of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein Coordination Group under the Istanbul Convention

Luxembourg
Comité interministériel des droits humains sous la tutelle du Ministère des affaires étrangères en coopération avec le Ministère de l’egalité des genres et de la diversité et du Ministère de la justice

Malta/Malte
National Commission  on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence

Republic of Moldova/République de Moldova
National Agency on preventing and combating violence against women and family violence

Monaco
Direction de l’Action et de l’Aide Sociales
Departement des Affaires Sociales et de la Santé

Montenegro/Monténégro
Coordinating Board for coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and measures to prevent and combat all forms of violence covered by the council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence

The Netherlands/Pays-Bas
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports

North Macedonia/Macédoine du Nord
National Coordinating Body for the Implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence

Norway/Norvège
Inter ministerial working group against domestic violence co-ordinated by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security

Poland/Pologne
Ministry for Equality

Portugal
Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (under the Office of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers)
National Human Rights Committee (chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Romania/Roumanie
National Agency for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (NAEO)

San Marino/Saint-Marin
L'autorité pour l'égalité des chances

Serbia/Serbie
Coordination Body for Gender Equality

Slovenia/Slovénie
Inter-governmental group for monitoring the implementation of the Istanbul convention
Equal Opportunities Department
Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

Spain/Espagne
Government Delegation for Gender-based Violence
State Observatory on Violence against Women

Sweden/Suède
National Gender Equality Agency
Division for Gender Equality at Ministry of Employment 

Switzerland/Suisse
Département fédéral de l’intérieur
Bureau fédéral de l'égalité entre femmes et hommes BFEG
Domaine Violence 

United Kingdom/Royaume-Uni
Home Office