Istanbul Convention






Strasbourg, 3 June 2025

IC-CP(2025)19


Committee of the Parties
Council of Europe Convention
on Preventing and Combating
Violence against Women
and Domestic Violence
(Istanbul Convention)


Reporting form on the implementation of the recommendations addressed to state parties

In accordance with Article 68, paragraph 12, of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, the Committee of the Parties adopts, on the basis of the report and conclusions of GREVIO, recommendations addressed to state parties concerning the measures to be taken to implement the conclusions of GREVIO.

The applicable procedure for issuing recommendations was settled by the Committee of the Parties at its 4th meeting and is described in document IC-CP(2018)6. In accordance with this procedure, the recommendations call upon state parties to implement all the proposals and suggestions set out in GREVIO’s baseline evaluation report. However, the obligation to report on measures taken is limited to those specifically outlined in section A of the recommendation, namely: a) all the proposals and suggestions formulated by GREVIO throughout the report which require immediate action – these are qualified by the use of the verb “urge”, and b) the proposals and suggestions related to Chapters I and II of the convention which require taking remedial action in the near future and are qualified by the use of the expression “strongly encourage”. According to the agreed procedure, state parties are given a period of three years to implement the recommendations of the Committee of the Parties and report back to the Committee.

To facilitate this reporting, state parties are requested to use this questionnaire to report on the implementation of recommendations issued by the Committee of the Parties. Recommendations not issued in relation to Estonia do not need to be reported on. As a result, the Estonian authorities are not required to answer the following questions in the reporting form: 14, 16, 19 and 20.

The reporting deadline given to Estonia is set at 4 December 2025. Information related to the monitoring of Estonia is available on the dedicated country monitoring webpage.


I. Fundamental rights, equality, and non-discrimination (Article 4)

1
Have your authorities taken measures to ensure that the provisions of the Istanbul Convention are implemented without discrimination on any grounds listed in Article 4, paragraph 3, of the convention, including in terms of the availability of services and the protection by law enforcement agencies?

Yes ☐
No ☐
1.1
If yes, please specify:

1.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

2
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to prevent and combat violence against women who are or might be exposed to intersectional discrimination?

Yes ☐
No ☐
2.1
If yes, please specify:

2.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:
3
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 4, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


II. Comprehensive and co-ordinated policies implemented under the responsibility of an adequately mandated and resourced co-ordinating body (Articles 7 and 10)

4
Have your authorities developed a long-term plan/strategy to prevent and combat violence against women?

Yes ☐
No ☐

N/A (a plan/strategy was already developed at the time of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation) ☐

4.1
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

5
Which forms of violence against women covered by the Istanbul Convention are addressed by the plan/strategy? Please offer a brief description specifically indicating the forms of violence not previously addressed in plans or strategies at national level.

6
Was specific attention given to place the rights of women victims at the centre of all measures planned?

Yes ☐
No ☐
6.1
If yes, please specify how:

6.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

7
Do the plan/strategy and the measures contained therein involve all relevant actors, such as government agencies, the national, regional and local parliaments and authorities, national human rights institutions and civil society organisations?

Yes ☐
No ☐
7.1
Please specify the actors involved:

7.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

8
Have the authorities assigned the role of co-ordinating body to one or more fully institutionalised entities?

Yes ☐
No ☐

N/A (a co-ordinating body was already established at the time of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation) ☐

8.1
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:



9
Please specify the mandate, powers, and competences, as well as the composition, of the co-ordinating body/bodies:

9.1
In particular, please indicate whether the co-ordinating body/bodies is/are responsible for:




• Co-ordination of policies and measures to prevent and combat violence against women

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐

• Implementation of policies and measures to prevent and combat violence against women

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐

• Monitoring and evaluation of policies and measures to prevent and combat violence against women

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐

• Co-ordination of the collection of data, analysis and dissemination of its results

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐
10
Please specify the human and financial resources allocated to the co-ordinating body/bodies:

11
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Articles 7 and 10, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


III. Financial resources (Article 8)

12
Have your authorities allocated specific funds at the



• national
Yes ☐
No ☐

• and/or regional
Yes ☐
No ☐

• and/or local
Yes ☐
No ☐

levels of government for activities to prevent and combat all forms of violence against women covered by the Istanbul Convention?


12.1
If yes, what is the annual amount of these funds? If possible, please specify the percentage of the total national state budget that the amount represents.

12.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

13
Have these funds increased since the publication of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation report?
Yes ☐
If yes, by what amount:

No ☐
14
Have your authorities taken measures to foster long-term and sustainable financial support for non-governmental organisations working to support victims and prevent violence?

Yes ☐
No ☐
14.1
If yes, please specify:

14.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

15
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 8, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


IV. Non-governmental organisations and civil society (Article 9)

16
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to further recognise, encourage and support the work of relevant non-governmental organisations and of civil society active in combating all forms of violence against women covered by the Istanbul Convention, including in terms of funding and co-operation?

Yes ☐
No ☐
16.1
If yes, please specify:

16.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:


V. Data collection and research (Article 11)

17
In implementation of the recommendation addressed to your authorities, have new sectors of the administration started the collection of data in accordance with the requirements of Article 11, paragraph 1?

Yes ☐
No ☐
17.1
If yes, please specify which sectors:

17.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

18
In implementation of the recommendation addressed to your authorities, have sectors of the administration improved their data collection?

Yes ☐
No ☐
18.1
If yes, please specify which sectors and how, in particular whether new data categories were added:

18.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

19
Does statistical data collection by law-enforcement agencies and the judiciary enable cases of violence against women to be tracked in order to indicate:



• Conviction rates
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Types of sentences
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Attrition rates
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Time-barred proceedings
Yes ☐
No ☐
N/A ☐
20
As regards population-based surveys, please indicate any survey conducted since the publication of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation report, while specifying the forms of violence covered:

21
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 11, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


VI. Custody, visitation rights and safety (Article 31)

22
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure that incidents of violence covered by the scope of the Istanbul Convention are taken into account in the determination of custody and visitation rights of children, notably by judicial authorities?

Yes ☐
No ☐
22.1
If yes, please specify how this has been done (by legislative amendments or other means)

22.2
If yes, please specify how the above obligation is implemented in practice, including by providing data indicating to what extent judicial authorities consider all issues related to violence against women in their decisions on custody and visitation rights:

22.3
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

23
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure that visitation rights do not jeopardise the rights and safety of the victim or children?

Yes ☐
No ☐
23.1
If yes, please specify:

23.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

24
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 31, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


VII. Immediate response, prevention, and protection (Article 50)

25
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to improve the prompt and appropriate response of law enforcement agencies, in particular by:





• Enhancing training of law enforcement officials on the gendered nature of violence against women and its consequences
Yes ☐
No ☐


• Ensuring a sufficient number of female police officers
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Setting up premises designed to establish a relationship of trust between the victim and the law enforcement personnel
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Ensuring the efficient collection of evidence so that the reliance on the victim’s testimony is lessened

Yes ☐
No ☐
25.1
If yes, please specify:

25.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

26
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to enable the identification and careful analysis of any failure of protection?

Yes ☐
No ☐
26.1
If yes, please specify what kind of measures, and if further preventive measures were adopted to remedy this situation:

26.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

27
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 50, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


VIII. Emergency barring, restraining or protection orders (Articles 52 and 53)

28
As regards emergency barring orders, have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure that the competent authorities are granted the power to order, in situations of immediate danger, a perpetrator of domestic violence to vacate the residence of the victim or person at risk, and to prohibit the perpetrator from entering the residence of or contacting the victim or person at risk.


Yes ☐



No ☐





28.1
If yes, please indicate which authorities have the power to issue emergency barring orders:

28.2
If yes, please indicate the length of time for which emergency barring orders may remain in force:

28.3
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

29
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure the availability of restraining or protection orders to victims of the following forms of violence against women?



• Domestic violence
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Stalking
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Sexual violence
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Sexual harassment
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Forced marriage
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Female genital mutilation
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Forced abortion
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Forced sterilisation

Yes ☐
No ☐
29.1
If yes, please specify:

29.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

30
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure the effective enforcement of barring, restraining or protection orders?

Yes ☐
No ☐
30.1
If yes, please specify:

30.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

31
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Articles 52 and 53, which were not covered by the questions above, in particular in relation to the collection of data on the number of orders issued and their violations, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:






Specific recommendations

32
Please report on any measures taken by the authorities to reform all sexual offences contained in the Estonian Penal Code to fully incorporate the notion of freely given consent as required by Article 36 of the Istanbul Convention and to ensure appropriate sanctions for all sexual acts without the consent of the victim, including where the circumstances of the case preclude valid consent. (Recommendation A.13, IC-CP/Inf (2022)9).

33
Please report on measures taken to ensure that vulnerability, particularly related to sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence against women, is formally assessed and identified at the earliest possible opportunity within the asylum procedure to inform decisions relating to accommodation and support services and to ensure procedural fairness and gender sensitivity in the conduct of the asylum interview (Recommendation A.18, IC-CP/Inf (2022)9).






Strasbourg, 3 June 2025

IC-CP(2025)19


Committee of the Parties
Council of Europe Convention
on Preventing and Combating
Violence against Women
and Domestic Violence
(Istanbul Convention)


Reporting form on the implementation of the recommendations addressed to state parties

In accordance with Article 68, paragraph 12, of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, the Committee of the Parties adopts, on the basis of the report and conclusions of GREVIO, recommendations addressed to state parties concerning the measures to be taken to implement the conclusions of GREVIO.

The applicable procedure for issuing recommendations was settled by the Committee of the Parties at its 4th meeting and is described in document IC-CP(2018)6. In accordance with this procedure, the recommendations call upon state parties to implement all the proposals and suggestions set out in GREVIO’s baseline evaluation report. However, the obligation to report on measures taken is limited to those specifically outlined in section A of the recommendation, namely: a) all the proposals and suggestions formulated by GREVIO throughout the report which require immediate action – these are qualified by the use of the verb “urge”, and b) the proposals and suggestions related to Chapters I and II of the convention which require taking remedial action in the near future and are qualified by the use of the expression “strongly encourage”. According to the agreed procedure, state parties are given a period of three years to implement the recommendations of the Committee of the Parties and report back to the Committee.

To facilitate this reporting, state parties are requested to use this questionnaire to report on the implementation of recommendations issued by the Committee of the Parties. Recommendations not issued in relation to Estonia do not need to be reported on. As a result, the Estonian authorities are not required to answer the following questions in the reporting form: 14, 16, 19 and 20.

The reporting deadline given to Estonia is set at 4 December 2025. Information related to the monitoring of Estonia is available on the dedicated country monitoring webpage.


I. Fundamental rights, equality, and non-discrimination (Article 4)

1
Have your authorities taken measures to ensure that the provisions of the Istanbul Convention are implemented without discrimination on any grounds listed in Article 4, paragraph 3, of the convention, including in terms of the availability of services and the protection by law enforcement agencies?

Yes ☐
No ☐
1.1
If yes, please specify:

1.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

2
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to prevent and combat violence against women who are or might be exposed to intersectional discrimination?

Yes ☐
No ☐
2.1
If yes, please specify:

2.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:
3
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 4, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


II. Comprehensive and co-ordinated policies implemented under the responsibility of an adequately mandated and resourced co-ordinating body (Articles 7 and 10)

4
Have your authorities developed a long-term plan/strategy to prevent and combat violence against women?

Yes ☐
No ☐

N/A (a plan/strategy was already developed at the time of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation) ☐

4.1
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

5
Which forms of violence against women covered by the Istanbul Convention are addressed by the plan/strategy? Please offer a brief description specifically indicating the forms of violence not previously addressed in plans or strategies at national level.

6
Was specific attention given to place the rights of women victims at the centre of all measures planned?

Yes ☐
No ☐
6.1
If yes, please specify how:

6.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

7
Do the plan/strategy and the measures contained therein involve all relevant actors, such as government agencies, the national, regional and local parliaments and authorities, national human rights institutions and civil society organisations?

Yes ☐
No ☐
7.1
Please specify the actors involved:

7.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

8
Have the authorities assigned the role of co-ordinating body to one or more fully institutionalised entities?

Yes ☐
No ☐

N/A (a co-ordinating body was already established at the time of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation) ☐

8.1
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:



9
Please specify the mandate, powers, and competences, as well as the composition, of the co-ordinating body/bodies:

9.1
In particular, please indicate whether the co-ordinating body/bodies is/are responsible for:




• Co-ordination of policies and measures to prevent and combat violence against women

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐

• Implementation of policies and measures to prevent and combat violence against women

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐

• Monitoring and evaluation of policies and measures to prevent and combat violence against women

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐

• Co-ordination of the collection of data, analysis and dissemination of its results

Yes ☐
The co-ordination body responsible is:

No ☐
10
Please specify the human and financial resources allocated to the co-ordinating body/bodies:

11
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Articles 7 and 10, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


III. Financial resources (Article 8)

12
Have your authorities allocated specific funds at the



• national
Yes ☐
No ☐

• and/or regional
Yes ☐
No ☐

• and/or local
Yes ☐
No ☐

levels of government for activities to prevent and combat all forms of violence against women covered by the Istanbul Convention?


12.1
If yes, what is the annual amount of these funds? If possible, please specify the percentage of the total national state budget that the amount represents.

12.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

13
Have these funds increased since the publication of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation report?
Yes ☐
If yes, by what amount:

No ☐
14
Have your authorities taken measures to foster long-term and sustainable financial support for non-governmental organisations working to support victims and prevent violence?

Yes ☐
No ☐
14.1
If yes, please specify:

14.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

15
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 8, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


IV. Non-governmental organisations and civil society (Article 9)

16
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to further recognise, encourage and support the work of relevant non-governmental organisations and of civil society active in combating all forms of violence against women covered by the Istanbul Convention, including in terms of funding and co-operation?

Yes ☐
No ☐
16.1
If yes, please specify:

16.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:


V. Data collection and research (Article 11)

17
In implementation of the recommendation addressed to your authorities, have new sectors of the administration started the collection of data in accordance with the requirements of Article 11, paragraph 1?

Yes ☐
No ☐
17.1
If yes, please specify which sectors:

17.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

18
In implementation of the recommendation addressed to your authorities, have sectors of the administration improved their data collection?

Yes ☐
No ☐
18.1
If yes, please specify which sectors and how, in particular whether new data categories were added:

18.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

19
Does statistical data collection by law-enforcement agencies and the judiciary enable cases of violence against women to be tracked in order to indicate:



• Conviction rates
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Types of sentences
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Attrition rates
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Time-barred proceedings
Yes ☐
No ☐
N/A ☐
20
As regards population-based surveys, please indicate any survey conducted since the publication of GREVIO’s baseline evaluation report, while specifying the forms of violence covered:

21
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 11, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


VI. Custody, visitation rights and safety (Article 31)

22
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure that incidents of violence covered by the scope of the Istanbul Convention are taken into account in the determination of custody and visitation rights of children, notably by judicial authorities?

Yes ☐
No ☐
22.1
If yes, please specify how this has been done (by legislative amendments or other means)

22.2
If yes, please specify how the above obligation is implemented in practice, including by providing data indicating to what extent judicial authorities consider all issues related to violence against women in their decisions on custody and visitation rights:

22.3
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

23
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure that visitation rights do not jeopardise the rights and safety of the victim or children?

Yes ☐
No ☐
23.1
If yes, please specify:

23.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

24
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 31, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


VII. Immediate response, prevention, and protection (Article 50)

25
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to improve the prompt and appropriate response of law enforcement agencies, in particular by:





• Enhancing training of law enforcement officials on the gendered nature of violence against women and its consequences
Yes ☐
No ☐


• Ensuring a sufficient number of female police officers
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Setting up premises designed to establish a relationship of trust between the victim and the law enforcement personnel
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Ensuring the efficient collection of evidence so that the reliance on the victim’s testimony is lessened

Yes ☐
No ☐
25.1
If yes, please specify:

25.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

26
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to enable the identification and careful analysis of any failure of protection?

Yes ☐
No ☐
26.1
If yes, please specify what kind of measures, and if further preventive measures were adopted to remedy this situation:

26.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

27
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Article 50, which were not covered by the questions above, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:


VIII. Emergency barring, restraining or protection orders (Articles 52 and 53)

28
As regards emergency barring orders, have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure that the competent authorities are granted the power to order, in situations of immediate danger, a perpetrator of domestic violence to vacate the residence of the victim or person at risk, and to prohibit the perpetrator from entering the residence of or contacting the victim or person at risk.


Yes ☐



No ☐





28.1
If yes, please indicate which authorities have the power to issue emergency barring orders:

28.2
If yes, please indicate the length of time for which emergency barring orders may remain in force:

28.3
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

29
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure the availability of restraining or protection orders to victims of the following forms of violence against women?



• Domestic violence
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Stalking
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Sexual violence
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Sexual harassment
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Forced marriage
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Female genital mutilation
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Forced abortion
Yes ☐
No ☐

• Forced sterilisation

Yes ☐
No ☐
29.1
If yes, please specify:

29.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

30
Have your authorities taken measures contributing to ensure the effective enforcement of barring, restraining or protection orders?

Yes ☐
No ☐
30.1
If yes, please specify:

30.2
[Optional question: if not, please specify the reasons]:

31
In case your authorities have taken further measures contributing to the implementation of recommendations in relation to Articles 52 and 53, which were not covered by the questions above, in particular in relation to the collection of data on the number of orders issued and their violations, please report on these measures [word limit: 1000 words]:






Specific recommendations

32
Please report on any measures taken by the authorities to reform all sexual offences contained in the Estonian Penal Code to fully incorporate the notion of freely given consent as required by Article 36 of the Istanbul Convention and to ensure appropriate sanctions for all sexual acts without the consent of the victim, including where the circumstances of the case preclude valid consent. (Recommendation A.13, IC-CP/Inf (2022)9).

33
Please report on measures taken to ensure that vulnerability, particularly related to sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence against women, is formally assessed and identified at the earliest possible opportunity within the asylum procedure to inform decisions relating to accommodation and support services and to ensure procedural fairness and gender sensitivity in the conduct of the asylum interview (Recommendation A.18, IC-CP/Inf (2022)9).