The Council of Europe’s network of specialised lawyers and NGOs assisting women victims of violence held its second webinar on 17 September 2026, focusing on how to provide legal support and representation to victims of domestic violence involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980).

The webinar brought together European and national judicial perspectives, as well as practical insights from the legal profession. Participants discussed caselaw of the European Court of Human Rights on child return proceedings involving domestic violence and national judicial and legal practices in dealing with such cases. The relevance of the Istanbul Convention was highlighted in several regards. 

The presentations were followed by open Q&A sessions, giving participants an opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss practical challenges arising in cross-border child return cases involving domestic violence.