Back ‘Environment and Human Rights’ the first ever tutored version of the HELP online course launched for Serbian professionals

‘Environment and Human Rights’ the first ever tutored version of the HELP online course launched for Serbian professionals

A group of 21 Serbian misdemeanour and trainee judges attended the first seminar-course launch on Environment and Human Rights. The event was organised in cooperation with the Judicial Academy of the Republic of Serbia.

In her opening remarks, Judge Sonja Vidanovic, expressed, on behalf of the Judicial Academy, her satisfaction with the continuous cooperation with the Council of Europe in the filed of human rights training.

Eva Pastrana, Head of the Justice and Human Rights Division in the Council of Europe noted the fact that the Serbian Judicial Academy is the first one to implement this course, and illustrated the recent achievements under the HELP Programme.

In his address, Tobias Flessenkemper, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, emphasised the importance of expanding the knowledge about the environmental protection and human rights and congratulated participants who are making an important step by taking the HELP course.

The launching of the course was followed by a session on the European Court of Human Rights and the environment, provided by Natalia Kobylarz, Senior Lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights and author of the HELP course.

Moreover, the course tutor, Mirjana Drenovak-Ivanovic, introduced the course and provided some insights on its content, and its adaptation to the Serbian legislation and practice. Participants were informed about the course format and content.

The free HELP online course on ‘Environment and Human Rights’ addresses the legal frameworks and practical approaches that will support legal practitioners and others in understanding the connections between human rights and the environment, in particular how to apply a human-rights based approach to environmental protection.

Following the event, participants will be able to attend the online course through the HELP e-learning platform as translated into Serbian and adapted to the local context and legislation.

The course is launched within the scope of the action “Strengthening the effective legal remedies to human violations in Serbia” in cooperation with the regional action “HELP in the Western Balkans” as part of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”, implemented by the Council of Europe.

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The HELP online course on Environment and human rights is also available in English in a self-learning format on the HELP e-learning platform to any legal professional interested in the topic. Those who complete it in self-learning mode can obtain an electronic ‘Statement of accomplishment’.

Belgrade 29 September 2021
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REGIONAL ACTION

 

What is the goal?

 

As part of the Council of Europe Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals, the Action “HELP in the Western Balkans” contributes to a better protection of fundamental rights at the national and regional level. The overall goal is to help legal professionals - who are at the forefront of the protection of human rights - to gain a better understanding of fundamental human rights standards, and of how to apply these standards in their daily work. The Action involves the National Training Institutions for judges and prosecutors, as well as Bar Associations from the Western Balkans in the broader HELP Network, which covers the 47 member States of the Council of Europe, and beyond.

 

Who benefits from the project?

 

Legal and other (justice) professionals from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are benefiting from HELP Action, offering a wide range of online courses on various human rights topics. The courses are open to law students/future practitioners via the HELP e-learning platform, can be adapted to local contexts, and tailored for both practitioners and trainers.

 

How will the Action  work?

 

In cooperation with key local actors, HELP develops and implements a variety of online courses focusing on the fundamental human rights for legal and other (justice) professionals. The courses provide high quality and European best practices as they have been developed with leading experts from the Council of Europe, including lawyers from the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights.

The courses are interactive and practical, aiming to enhance practitioners’ knowledge, skills and attitudes in regard to European fundamental human rights standards and how these standards should be applied in concrete situations. The HELP methodologies are easily adapted to Beneficiaries’ legislation & context. The regional dimension provides an opportunity for training institutions to share best practices on human rights methodology. Moreover, it facilitates the regional exchange of knowledge on fundamental rights standards among legal professionals.

 

What do we expect to achieve?

 

The Action ‘HELP in the Western Balkans’ contributes in a more efficient and effective application of fundamental rights standards at the local level by:

  •  enhancing the capacity of legal professionals for an effective and coherent application of European standards for the protection of fundamental human rights in their daily work;
  • strengthening the capacity of local actors such as national training institutions for judges and prosecutors, Bar Associations and universities to provide high quality training in the field.
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How much will it cost?

 

  • the total budget of the Action is 800.000 EUR;
  •  the budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).
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How do we get more information?

 

  •  Council of Europe HELP e-learning platform: help.elearaning.ext.coe.int   
  •  Council of Europe Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP): website: www.coe.int/help 
  • Horizontal Facility website: https://pjp-eu.coe.int/en/web/horizontal-facility/home 
  •  Marija Simić, Horizontal Facility Communication Officer, [email protected], +381 63 601 337
  • Besnik Baka, Horizontal Facility Communication Officer, [email protected], +355 69 217 8430
HORIZONTAL FACILITY II