Council of Europe Report Praises Ukraine’s Efforts to Protect Women From Violence Amid War, Flags Gaps in Enforcement

The Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) recently released its first monitoring report on Ukraine, following the country's ratification of the Istanbul Convention in July 2022. GREVIO commended Kyiv's political commitment to the treaty while acknowledging that the ongoing war has dramatically increased women's exposure to gender-based violence.

The evaluation, based on input from Ukrainian authorities, NGOs, and a visit to Kyiv in May 2025, highlighted several successes and ongoing challenges in protecting women from violence.

Ukraine has made progress in aligning its legislation with the Istanbul Convention, including adopting a consent-based definition of rape and criminalizing sexual harassment in 2024. The country has also established mobile teams of psychologists, social workers, and healthcare professionals to provide direct support to domestic violence victims, especially in rural areas.

Additionally, a National Training Centre for Gender-Based Violence Response has been established to train professionals in responding to such cases. GREVIO praised Ukraine's efforts in training police officers, prosecutors, and forensic experts to prosecute conflict-related sexual violence and acknowledged the protection measures for female military personnel.

However, GREVIO identified several gaps that need to be addressed. These include ensuring consistent application of the Istanbul Convention nationwide, raising public awareness about various forms of abuse, and reducing the stigma faced by victims, particularly those subjected to conflict-related sexual violence by Russian soldiers.

The report also highlighted the growing connection between active military service and severe domestic violence, as well as the difficulties women encounter when reporting such incidents. Furthermore, GREVIO called for more effective and proportionate sentences for domestic violence and other offenses against women, as well as better protection for children exposed to domestic violence.