by the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) highlights a "shrinking space" for NGOs supporting women and girls across Europe. This contraction is linked both to austerity measures that cut funding and a broader context of regression in women's rights.
Women's rights defenders are increasingly subjected to violence, threats, and gendered hate speech, according to GREVIO, the group of independent experts responsible for monitoring the implementation by parties to Council of Europe's Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention.
GREVIO's analysis, based on recently published thematic country reports, shows that, in some countries, a growing climate of hostility is emboldening narratives that deny the existence of violence against women and question the need for gender equality policies. GREVIO observed, for instance, discourses questioning the reality of violence against women and the necessity of policies addressing it - part of a broader rollback on women's rights across many countries making it increasingly difficult for women's rights organisations to advocate for women's protection from violence. Adding to this is the authority's lack of genuine cooperation with women's rights organisations - an issue addressed by GREVIO in many of its recent reports and a continuation of a trend already identified in its first round of monitoring, the baseline evaluation procedure.
GREVIO again reminds states of their 2023 Reykjavik Declaration commitment to create safe, enabling environments for civil society. Yet the report shows that, in practice, many women's rights NGOs are under threat-financially, socially, and politically.
Press release
