Accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (2026)

Recommendation CM/Rec(2026)2 Adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe 4 March 2026

Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls often persists in an environment of impunity. Fragmented legal frameworks, complex reporting processes, limited awareness among professionals, risk of victim-blaming, cross-border challenges and difficulties in securing digital evidence often allow harmful conduct to continue unchecked. To respond to such challenges, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2026)2 on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls.

The Recommendation is the first international legal standard focused on accountability for technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. It builds upon existing standards including the Istanbul Convention and GREVIO General Recommendation No. 1 on the digital dimension of violence against women. The Recommendation provides guidance for member States on strengthening legal, institutional and regulatory responses to ensure accountability, including prevention measures to foster an environment of accountability where such violence is neither facilitated, condoned, accepted nor ignored.