HF II North Macedonia - Enhancing penitentiary system External Oversight Mechanism

As part of the co-operation framework co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, known as the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey, phase II (Horizontal Facility II), the Council of Europe implemented the Action “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the External Oversight Mechanism in North Macedonia”, in close cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Justice (Directorate for Execution of Sanctions), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ombudsman’s Office. The Action also involved a wide group of other national stakeholders, including prominent civil society organisations active in the area of protection and promotion of human rights.

The main aim of the Action was to contribute to a safer and more humane society that respects and protects the rights of detained and sentenced persons in line with the Council of Europe standards in the area of penitentiary and law enforcement.

The key Conventions for this Action were the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), as well as the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

The duration of the project was set at 36 months and it was completed by 31 December 2022, with an overall budget of 1,050,000 Euros.

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PROJECT NEWS

Back North Macedonia’s medical and other prison staff trained on mental healthcare provision

@ Council of Europe

Eight doctors and medical personnel, alongside with ten prison officers working in six penitentiary institutions in North Macedonia enhanced their knowledge on mental healthcare management in prisons. This two-day session took place on 16-17 November 2022 in Skopje – the first ever such training for professionals working in prisons. Staff from the Ombudsman’s National Prevention Mechanism and the External Oversight Mechanism units also attended as external participants, sharing their findings with the participants.

International standards and best practices, risk and protective factors in prisons, different types of disorders, as well as potential treatments were discussed with the participants, both from the medical and security perspective. The views of the Ombudsman’s representatives contributed to the discussion, along with the practical dilemmas the practitioners face in working with incarcerated persons.

Prisons in North Macedonia have serious shortage of medical personnel and mental healthcare professionals, making it even more important to have the present ones well trained. Enhancing the capacities of the medical personnel, together with putting in place Standard Operational Procedures on provision of effective healthcare in prisons, are some of the ways in which this action helps the country address the critical challenges identified with the CPT reports.

This activity was organised under the action on “Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the External Oversight Mechanism in North Macedonia”, which is a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022".

North Macedonia 17 November 2022