On 7 November 2024 in Pristina, the Council of Europe project “Aligning laws and policies with the Istanbul Convention” held a roundtable on: “Breaking the cycle of violence: Integrating the programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence in sentencing”.

The roundtable gathered around 100 judges, prosecutors, policy-makers, law enforcement officials, support services for victims, as well as local civil society representatives and international organisations.

Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu emphasized that the National Programme for Treatment of Perpetrators of Violence against Women is in full compliance with the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). Developed with the support of the Council of Europe, the Programme provides perpetrators with the opportunity to embark on a transformative journey, changing violent acts into respectful, non-violent behaviour in intimate relationships.

The Minister called on all relevant institutions to treat cases of domestic and other violence against women as a priority. In particular, she encouraged close cooperation in implementing effective programmes for treatment of perpetrators of domestic violence.

The Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Pristina, Tankut Soykan, welcomed the strong leadership demonstrated by the Ministry of Justice in ensuring that treatment programmes become a reality.

Adelina Toplica Badivuku, Council of Europe expert, shared her insights on the effectiveness and importance of perpetrator programmes in breaking the cycle of violence and pointed to relevant international practice.

The panel discussion with representatives of the main stakeholders identified concrete measures and actions that should be taken so that perpetrator programmes are integrated into sentencing. They stressed the importance of a multi-sectorial approach in enabling effective implementation.