On 21-22 November, 5 judges and 14 legal advisors of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo*[1] attended a workshop on “Effective Processing Violence against Women and Domestic Violence – European Standards and Practice”. The event, which took place in Pristina, was organised under the project “Support to the Constitutional Court in applying and disseminating the European Human Rights standards” in cooperation with the project “Reinforcing the Fight against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in Kosovo*”.

Four international experts facilitated the workshop, bringing to the audience perspectives and experience of the European Court of Human Rights as well as the Group of independent Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO). The main focus was kept on effective processing of all forms of violence against women and domestic violence through examination of standards set in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention). Attendees could observe how this last is being increasingly used as a reference by the European Court of Human Rights in the interpretation of the Convention, in cases involving violence against women and domestic violence.

For two days participants were engaged in interactive discussions, comparative study and participative analysis of relevant articles of ECHR and pertinent ECtHR case-law. Specific attention was given to the identification of barriers that women victims of violence face in the access to justice, exploring practical means and strategies for overcoming them.

With a view to enhancing cooperation among the Constitutional Courts in South-eastern Europe, two legal advisors from the Constitutional Court of Albania were included in the workshop as peer participants.