Dr Michelle Walsh has been elected to the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), the independent monitoring body responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention across member states.
The election took place following a competitive national and international selection process at a meeting of the Committee of the Parties in Strasbourg. GREVIO plays a central role in assessing how countries are meeting their obligations under the Istanbul Convention, which is the key European treaty focused on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, welcomed Dr Walsh’s appointment and highlighted her extensive experience in the field of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. He noted that her election on the first count reflects both the strength of her expertise and Ireland’s broader international standing in addressing gender-based violence.
Dr Walsh is the Chief Executive Officer of MOVE Ireland, the national perpetrator intervention programme, and has more than 15 years of experience working in the area of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Her background includes clinical psychotherapy, research, policy development and training, as well as involvement in European-level initiatives and networks focused on perpetrator intervention.
The Istanbul Convention, which GREVIO monitors, establishes binding obligations for state parties across four key areas: prevention, protection, prosecution and coordinated policy response. Ireland is a signatory to the convention, and its national Zero Tolerance strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is aligned with these principles.
Dr Walsh’s appointment is expected to contribute to ongoing European efforts to strengthen accountability, improve victim protection and enhance prevention strategies across member states dealing with domestic and gender-based violence.
