The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Parliament are working to strengthen accountability.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine together with people's deputies initiated changes to the Code administrative offenses to increase liability for perpetrators of domestic violence or gender-based violence. This is due to the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reports.
The Istanbul Convention defines violence against women as a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination. It also offers strategies to eradicate these phenomena.
On June 20, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law “On the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.” In accordance with it, Ukraine has undertaken a number of obligations to bring its legal acts into compliance with the provisions of the Convention. In particular, this concerns the proper investigation of cases of violence and bringing offenders to justice.
In 2023, the National Police of Ukraine registered more than 291 thousand cases of domestic violence. This is 20% more than in 2022. The number of registered criminal offenses increased by 80% (from 1498 to 2701). In addition, 36% more administrative offenses were detected. However, according to forecasts by the Analytical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for 2024, the number of administrative offenses is expected to increase to 21%, and criminal offenses to 30%.
During just two months of 2024, 56% more criminal offenses related to domestic violence were registered in Ukraine. The growth dynamics among administrative offenses is less, 21% more than in 2023.
initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and parliamentarians Bill No. 8329 “On amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses in connection with the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention)” proposes to strengthen liability for gender-based violence.
The draft law was adopted as a basis by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on November 22, 2023. The document will soon be submitted to people's deputies for consideration for adoption as a whole.
