The Advocates for Human Rights, along with The Open Door Center Foundation submitted a joint report on domestic violence in Bulgaria for the 75th Session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
Domestic violence and other crimes of violence against women continue to be serious problems in Bulgaria. Bulgaria fails to uphold its obligations under CEDAW. Persistent harmful stereotypes and prejudices regarding women in society and the family perpetuate violence against women in Bulgaria, contributing to underreporting of violence against women. Despite some efforts at addressing domestic violence, many serious problems remain with Bulgaria’s legislation, state policy on gender-based violence against women, and its implementation. These problems result in a systemic failure to protect domestic violence victims and promote abuser accountability.
The authors of the report make several recommendations for the Government of Bulgaria: