Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence

Conventions and Treaties

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence was adopted in Istanbul on 11 May 2011. The Convention seeks to protect women against all forms of violence, and prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence. The Convention was signed by 46 member states (excluding the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan) and by the European Union. 

ICTs are addressed in Article 17 (1) – Participation of the private sector and the media that calls on the parties to ‘encourage the private sector, the information and communication technology sector and the media, with due respect for freedom of expression and their independence, to participate in the elaboration and implementation of policies and to set guidelines and self-regulatory standards to prevent violence against women and to enhance respect for their dignity’. 

The Convention established a specific monitoring mechanism known as GREVIO tasked to ensure effective implementation of the Convention’s provisions by the Parties.