The Istanbul Convention Alliance (BIK), which also includes Frauenhauskoordinierung eV (FHK), published its second alternative report on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Germany on November 19, 2025.
The results are sobering: Seven years after the convention came into force, Germany is not living up to its human rights obligations to protect against gender-based and domestic violence.
Violence is on the rise, protection gaps remain
While violence against women, girls, and TIN* people continues to increase in Germany, the implementation of the Istanbul Convention remains fragmented and non-binding. The report, developed through an almost year-long participatory process involving expert agencies, self-organizations, and the perspectives of those affected, will GREVIO, submitted to the independent panel of experts of the Council of Europe.
GREVIO had already identified significant shortcomings in 2022 – however, the core problems persist.
Key criticisms
Missing intersectionality: The German government's violence prevention strategy mentions intersectional perspectives, but does not fundamentally apply them as a concept. Vulnerable groups – including women with DisabilitiesRefugees, homeless women, Sinti and Roma, as well as trans, intersex and queer people – have little or no access to the support system due to institutional barriers, discriminatory practices and a lack of resources.
Reorientation of Financing: A fundamental paradigm shift is needed, moving away from flagship, pilot, and model projects towards comprehensive, sustainably funded, and non-discriminatory structures for violence prevention. Project-based funding ties up resources for application procedures, resources that are then lacking for working with affected women and girls.
Lack of Space expansion: The urgently needed expansion of the missing shelter spaces remains a key challenge – since the last alternative report in 2021, the number of spaces has not changed significantly.
Reporting office not secured: The reporting office gender-based violence The protection afforded to the German Institute for Human Rights is still not permanently secured, contrary to the requirements of the Istanbul Convention. "If we're unlucky, it will simply be gone from 2027 onwards," warns Katja Grieger from the bff.
She needs legal protection so that she can work independently and thus become part of the protection system in Germany in the long term.
Ten demands
The alternative report states ten key to-dos for effective implementation of the Convention:
Binding overall strategy with an intersectional focus and validity across legislative periods
Paradigm shift towards structural financing instead of short-term pilot projects
Legal anchoring of monitoring and mandatory data collection in all areas
Non-discriminatory and barrier-free access to the support system for all women, girls and TIN* people
Protection from violence before access rights – Introduction of a rebuttable presumption of guilt in cases of domestic violence
Comprehensive, mandatory training for all relevant professional groups
Systematic intervention in healthcare with guidelines and standards
Reducing structural disadvantages of migrant women affected by violence, among other things through reform of Section 31 of the Residence Act
Nationwide risk assessment and inter-institutional case management with clear standards
Evidence-based prevention strategy with a focus on primary prevention
Warning of political headwinds
The alliance urgently warns that antifeminism, right-wing populism, and cuts in social services jeopardize the protection of victims of violence. Particularly restrictive migration policies, such as the planned implementation of the CEAS reform, threaten to further limit access to the support system for refugees and migrant victims of violence.
About the Istanbul Convention alliance
The Istanbul Convention Alliance consists of civil society organizations, experts and professional associations that work to protect against gender-based violence and advocate for the full implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Germany.
Quality recommendations
Current women's shelter statistics
