In 2005, member states of the Council of Europe launched a large-scale campaign on the issue of domestic violence in Europe. The campaign revealed the large scope of the problem in the continent. It highlighted the need for harmonized legal standards to ensure the same level of protection for victims of domestic violence everywhere in Europe. The development of a human rights mechanism to combat and prevent violence against women was recommended to tackle the issue. As the European leading Human Rights institution, the Council of Europe pushed for the elaboration of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also referred to as the Istanbul Convention