On 23 May 2023 the Council of Europe project team met with representatives of Azerbaijani authorities, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the European Union Delegation (EUD) in Baku. These meetings aimed at fostering effective communication, coordination, and collaboration among stakeholders involved in the joint Council of Europe/European Union project “Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in Azerbaijan” under the third phase of the Partnership for Good Governance (PGGIII). The following day, the first Technical Project Committee (TPC) marked and important milestone in the collaborative efforts to combat violence against women and domestic violence in Azerbaijan.
Participants underlined the achievements of the previous phase of PGG and assessed the current situation and needs for concrete actions required on the ground, highlighted concerns and discussed the possibilities for technical and expertise support to be provided by the Council of Europe within the project.
The TPC meeting brought together key project stakeholders, including the State Committee of Family, Women and Children Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ombudsperson's Office, Baku State University Ministry of Justice, Academy of Justice, as well as new partners: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Science and Education, along with the European Union Delegation. Concrete proposals were discussed to enhance the police response in cases of domestic violence, to promote gender equality in schools and universities to reach out to future generations and to enhance coordination among relevant actors and civil society.
By strengthening partnerships and promoting efficient communication with and between relevant national institutions, the Council of Europe aims at taking steps in achieving a comprehensive approach in preventing and combatting gender-based violence and domestic violence in Azerbaijan.
The project “Preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence in Azerbaijan”is funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in their Partnership for Good Governance 2023-2027.
