The European Union and the Council of Europe in the framework of the joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey”, in cooperation with the Council of Europe's Project “Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) in the Western Balkans”, organise the round table and training “The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention)“ to take place on 15 May 2018 in hotel CentreVille in Podgorica.

In order to improve the quality of the judicial response to cases involving violence against women and to support the access to justice for victims while prosecuting perpetrators, the event will bring together representatives of the Constitutional Court, regular courts, Bar Association and civil society activists. With the aim to enlarge their influence and their potential of action, the participants will be presented with tools under the Istanbul Convention to prevent and combat violence against women as well as with online HELP course on Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. Following the round table and training seminar, participants will attend the HELP online course over a 3-months period. The HELP course will be moderated in Montenegrin by a national tutor and a certificate will be issued to those who successfully complete it.

The introductory addresses at the event will be delivered by H.E. Ambassador Aivo Orav, Head of Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, Mr Dragoljub Drašković, President of the Constitutional Court of Montenegro, Ms Vesna Medenica, President of the Supreme Court of Montenegro, and Ms Angela Longo, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica.

The round table will start at 9.30h, on 15 May 2018 (Tuesday) in hotel Hilton.

Language regime: English-Montenegrin with simultaneous interpretation.

The event will be open for media; enquiries upon request.

Agenda of the event can be found here.