The WAVE Network has released a new shadow report assessing how the European Union is implementing the Istanbul Convention. Prepared for the monitoring process of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), the report examines how EU law and policy align with the Convention’s standards and identifies key gaps that continue to undermine protection for women and girls across Europe.
Drawing on the expertise of women’s organisations working on the frontlines across the continent, the report evaluates EU legislation, policy frameworks, and funding mechanisms related to preventing and responding to violence against women. It looks in particular at the role of women’s specialist services, prevention strategies, protection and support systems for survivors, the treatment of violence in child custody and visitation decisions, and the impact of migration and asylum policies on women experiencing violence.
The findings show that while important progress has been made, including the adoption of new EU legislation addressing violence against women, significant challenges remain. EU policy frameworks often rely on gender-neutral approaches that fail to fully recognise violence against women as rooted in structural gender inequality. At the same time, women’s specialist services, many of which are run by feminist civil society organisations, continue to face chronic underfunding and insufficient recognition despite providing the majority of frontline support to survivors.
The report also highlights the urgent need for stronger investment in prevention, better coordination across policy areas such as migration and family law, and sustained financial support for women’s organisations delivering life-saving services. Without dedicated funding and meaningful involvement of feminist civil society, the EU risks falling short of its commitments under the Istanbul Convention and leaving critical gaps in protection for survivors of violence.
Read the full report hereJoin the WAVE of Change
Ending violence against women requires collective action. At WAVE, we work with more than 1,600 women’s organisations across Europe to strengthen support services, advance feminist advocacy, and ensure that survivors’ voices shape policy and law.
You can help sustain this work. By supporting WAVE and the network of women’s specialist services across Europe, you contribute to building stronger protection systems, advancing gender equality, and ensuring that every woman has access to the support she needs to live free from violence.
Together, we can turn commitments into action and create a future where women and girls across Europe are safe, supported, and heard.
