Government submits thematic report on implementation of Istanbul Convention

The Istanbul Convention is the most comprehensive international treaty aimed at preventing and combating violence against women and girls and domestic violence. Sweden ratified the Convention in 2014. It provides an important foundation for Sweden’s efforts to prevent and combat gender-based violence and is a cornerstone of Sweden’s ten-year national strategy for preventing and combating men’s violence against women. During the first half of 2023, the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union successfully concluded negotiations on the EU’s accession to the Convention.

The Istanbul Convention condemns all forms of violence against women and domestic violence. It requires criminalisation and prosecution, protective measures,  awareness-raising efforts, specialised support services for victims of violence, crisis centres, telephone helplines, programmes for perpetrators of violence, training for professionals, statistics and coordination of measures at all levels of society. 

How the review is carried out 

The Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) monitors Convention Parties’ implementation of the Convention.

Sweden submitted its Baseline Report on measures giving effect to the provisions of the Conventionto GREVIO in 2017. In its Baseline Evaluation Report from 2019, GREVIO provided Sweden with 41 recommendations. In January 2019, the Council of Europe Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention also provided its recommendations to Sweden. In January 2022, Sweden submitted its first report on how the Committee of the Parties’ recommendations have been implemented. Sweden has also been asked to submit a second report on the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations in June 2024.

The Council of Europe is now conducting the 1st thematic evaluation round of the Istanbul Convention, ‘Building trust by delivering support, protection and justice’. It focuses on selected parts of the Convention’s provisions using a questionnaire developed by GREVIO. The Government’s report, which was submitted on 26 October 2023, marks the starting point for this monitoring cycle of Sweden’s implementation of the Convention. The evaluation process of Sweden’s implementation will continue between 2023 and 2028. 

Civil society organisations can submit shadow reports to the Council of Europe on how they view Sweden’s implementation of the Convention. 

As part of the evaluation, GREVIO is expected to visit Sweden in February 2024. GREVIO plans to publish its report on Sweden in November 2024.